Book 8

About the cockcrow of night came a young man from the next city, which seemed to be one of the family of the good woman Charite which sometime endured so much misery and calamity with me amongst the thieves; who, after that he had taken a stool and sat down by the fireside in the company of the servants, began to declare many terrible things that had happened unto Charite and unto her house, saying:

O ye horsekeepers, shepherds, and cowherds, you shall understand that we have lost our good mistress Charite miserably and by evil adventure, but not alone did she go down to the ghosts. But to the end you may learn and know the whole matter, I purpose to tell you the circumstance of every point, whereby such as are more learned than I, to whom fortune has ministered more copious style, may paint it out in paper in form of an history.

There was a young gentleman dwelling in the next city, born of good parentage, valiant in prowess, and rich in substance, but very much given and addict to whore-hunting and continual revelling by broad day: whereby he fell in company with thieves, and had his hand ready to the effusion of human blood; and his name was Thrasyllus. The matter was this according to the report of every man: when Charite had come to an age ripe for marriage, he was among the chiefest of her suitors hand very ardently sought her hand; but although me were a man more comely than the residue that wooed her, and also had riches abundantly to persuade her parents, yet because he was of evil fame, and a man of wicked manners and conversation, he had the repulse and was put off by Charite. And so our master's daughter married with Tlepolemus; howbeit this young man secretly cherished his down-pall en love, and moved somewhat at her refusal, he busily searched some means to work his damnable intent: and so (having found occasion and opportunity to present himself there) he girt himself for the evil purpose which he had long time concealed; and so he brought it to pass, that the same day that Charite was delivered by the subtle means and valiant audacity of her husband from the puissance of the thieves, he mingled himself amongst the assembly, feigning with a notable shew that he was glad above all others of the new marriage and of the hope of future offspring. Hereby (by reason that he came of so noble parents) he was received and entertained into the house as a chief guest, and falsely coloured himself to be one of their most principal friends: and so, under cloak of a faithful well-wisher, he dissimuled his mischievous mind and intent. In continuance of time, by much familiarity and often conversation and banqueting together, he was taken more and more in favour: then did he fall little by little and unawares into the deeper gulf of lust and desire. What wonder indeed? Like as we see it fortuneth to lovers, who are at first delighted by the lame of cruel love, when as it is small, until by continual feeding of it with the fuel of use and wont, it gloweth and flameth and altogether burneth them up.

Thrasyllus had long pondered within himself, perceiving that it was a hard matter to break his mind secretly to Charite, and that he was wholly barred from accomplishment of his luxurious appetite both by the multitude of her guards and servitors, and because the love of her and her husband was so strongly linked together that the bond between them might in no wise be dissevered; and moreover it was a thing impossible to ravish her, because even pf she would, although she would not, she knew nothing of the arts of deceiving a spouse. Yet was he still provoked forward by an obstinate madness to that very thing which he could not, as though he could. At length the thing which seemeth so hard and difficult, when love has been fortified through time, doth ever at last appear easy and facile; but mark, I pray you, diligently, to what end the furious force of his inordinate desire came.

On a day Tlepolemus went to the chase with Thrasyllus to hunt for wild beasts, but only for goats —if indeed goats be wild beasts—for his wife Charite desired him earnestly to meddle with no other beasts which were of more fierce and wild mature, armed with tusk or horn. When they were come within the chase to a great thicket on a hill, fortressed about with briars and thorns, they compassed round the goats, which had been spied out by trackers; and by and by warning was given lo let loose the dogs, that had been bred of a noble mock, to rout up the beasts from their lairs. They, remembering all their careful teaching, spread out and covered every entry; and first they did not give tongue, but when on a sudden the signal was given they rushed in with such a cry that all the forest rang again with the noise; but behold there leaped out no goat, nor timid deer, nor hind, most gentle of all beasts, but an horrible and dangerous wild boar, such as no one had seen before, thick with muscles and brawn, with a filthy and hairy hide, his bristles rising along his pelt, foaming at the mouth, grinding his teeth, looking direfully with fiery eyes, and rushing like lightning as he charged with his furious jaws. The dogs that first set upon him he tare and rent with his tusks, and rifled them up and hurled them away on every side, and then he ran quite through the nets that had checked his first charges and escaped away. When we saw the fury of this beast, we were all greatly stricken with fear, and because we never accustomed to chase such dreadful boars, and further because we were unarmed and without weapons, we got and hid ourselves under bushes and trees.

Then Thrasyllus, having found opportunity to work his treason, said to Tlepolemus:' What, stand we here amazed? Why shew we ourselves like these slaves of ours, or why leave we so worthy a prey to go forth from our very hands, despairing like some timid woman? Let us mount upon our horses and pursue him incontinently: take you a hunting javelin, and I will take a spear'; and by and by they leaped upon their horses and followed the beast earnestly. But he, forgetting not his natural strength, returned against them burning with the fire of his wild nature, and gnashing his teeth, pried with his eyes on whom he might first assail with his tusks: and Tlepolemus struck the beast first on the back with his javelin. But Thrasyllus attacked not the beast, but came behind and cut the hamstrings of the hinder legs of Tlepolemus' horse, in such sort that he fell down in much blood to the ground and threw despite his will his master: then suddenly the boar came upon Tlepolemus, and furiously tare and rent first his garments and then him with his teeth as he would rise. Howbeit, his good friend Thrasyllus did not repent of his wicked deed to see him thus wounded, nor was it enough for his cruelty only to look: but when he was gored and essayed to protect his fresh wounds from the heavy blows, and desired his friendly help, he thrust Tlepolemus through the right thigh with his spear, the more boldly because he thought the wound of the spear would be taken for a wound of the boar's teeth: then he easily killed the beast likewise. And when the young man was thus miserably slain, every one of us came out of our holes, and went sorrowfully towards our slain master. But although that Thrasyllus was joyful of the death of Tlepolemus, whom he did greatly hate, yet he cloaked the matter with a sorrowful countenance, he feigned a dolorous face, he often embraced the body which he himself slew, he played all the parts of a mourning person, saving there fell no tears from his eyes.

Thus he resembled us in each point (who verily, and not without occasion, had cause to lament for our master) laying all the blame of this homicide unto the boar.

Incontinently after, the sorrowful news of the death of Tlepolemus came to the ears of all the family, but especially to unhappy Charite, who, when.she had heard such pitiful tidings, as a mad and raging woman ran up and down the streets and the country fields, crying and howling lamentably. All the citizens gathered together, and such as met her bare her company running towards the chase, so that all the city was emptied to see the sight. When they met the slain body of Tlepolemus, Charite threw herself upon him, weeping and lamenting grievously for his death, in such sort that she would have presently ended her life upon the corpse of her slain husband, whom she so entirely loved, had it not been that her parents and friends did comfort her, and hardly pulled her away. Then the body was taken up, and in funeral pomp brought to the city and buried.

In the mean season Thrasyllus feigned much sorrow for the death of Tlepolemus, crying and beating his breast beyond all measure, but in his heart he was well pleased and joyful, and the tears that he,had not for his former grief were ready to come now for his gladness. And to counterfeit very truth by words of kindness, he would come to Charite and say: ' O what a loss have I had, by the death of my friend, my fellow, my companion, my brother Tlepolemus' (adding the name in a melancholy voice). 'O Charite, comfort yourself, pacify your dolour, refrain your weeping, beat not your breasts.' And so saying, he would hold her hands and restrain them, so that she might not beat her bosom: with soft words he would blunt the sting of her sorrow, laud with divers examples of evil fortune he endeavoured to comfort her; but he spake and did not this for any other intent but that in guise of friendship he might closely handle the woman, and so nourish his odious love with filthy delight. Howbeit, Charite, after the burial of her husband, sought the means to follow him, and tried every way, but especially that which is most gentle and easy, nor requireth any weapon, but is most like to quiet sleep: for she purposed to finish her life with starvation and neglecting herself, she buried herself deep in the darkness and had done with the light for good and all. But Thrasyllus was very importunate, and at length brought to pass that at the intercession both of himself and of the friends and familiars, and last of the parents of Charite, she somewhat refreshed her body, that was all befouled and well nigh broken, with refection of meat and bathing. Howbeit, she did it unwillingly, more at the commandment of her parents and the duty she owed to them, than for anything else: and she wore a calmer, but yet not a merry face, while she went about the duties of the living, but inwardly she tormented herself very greatly with grief and mourning: she spent whole days and nights in miserable longing, and there was an image of her husband, which she had made like unto Bacchus, unto which she rendered divine honours and services, so that she grieved herself even by her consolation.

In the mean season Thrasyllus, not being able to refrain any longer, a man bold and impatient according to the signification of his name,1 before Charite had assuaged her dolours with tears, before her troubled mind had pacified her fury, before her;grief had become less from its own abundance and long continuance, while she wept for her husband, while she tare her garments and rent her hair, doubted not to demand her in marriage, and so very rashly detected the secrets and unspeakable deceits of his heart. But Charite detested and abhorred his demand, and as she had been stricken with some clap of thunder, with some storm, or with the lightning of Jupiter, she presently fell down to the ground all amazed with a cloud. Howbeit in the end, when her spirits were revived and that she returned to herself crying and shrieking like some beast, remembering all that had passed with the wicked Thrasyllus, she demanded respite to deliberate and to take advice on the matter.

In the mean season of delay the shape of Tlepolemus that was slain so miserably appeared to Charite as she chastely slept, with a pale and bloody face, saying: ' O my sweet wife (a name which no other person shall say but I), even if the memory of me in thy heart groweth dim, or the remembrance faileth of my pitiful death, in so much that our bond of love hath been severed, marry happily with any other person, so that you marry not with the traitor Thrasyllus; have no conference with him, eat not with him, lie not with him; avoid the bloody hand of mine enemy, let not thy marriage be begun with parricide.1 For those wounds, the blood whereof thy tears did wash away, were not all the wounds of the teeth of the boar, but the spear of wicked Thrasyllus parted me from thee.' Thus spoke Tlepolemus unto his loving wife, and declared the whole residue of the damnable fact. But Charite lay as she had first fallen asleep, with her face buried in her pillow; now she wetted her cheeks with her welling tears: and now aroused as by some new anguish, she began to cry aloud as if she renewed her dolour, to tear her garments, and to beat her comely arms with her furious hands: howbeit she revealed the vision which she saw to no manner of person, but dissembling that she knew the truth of the mischief, devised silently with herself how she might be revenged on the wicked murderer, and finish her own life, to end and knit up all sorrow. Again came Thrasyllus the detestable demander of the pleasure that should betray him, and wearied the closed ears of Charite with talk of marriage; but she, gently refusing his communication, and colouring the matter with passing craft in the midst of his earnest desires and humble prayers, began to say: 'Thrasyllus, you shall understand that yet the comely face of your brother 1 and my husband is always before mine eyes; I smell yet the cinnamon scent of his precious body, I yet feel Tlepolemus alive in my heart: wherefore you shall do well if you grant to me, miserable woman, necessary time. to bewail his death, until after the residue of a few months the whole year may be expired, which thing toucheth as well my shame as your wholesome profit, lest peradventure by our speedy and quick marriage we should justly raise and provoke the resentful spirit of my husband to work your destruction.' " Howbeit Thrasyllus was not contented with this speech, nor even cheered by her hopeful promise, but more and more was earnest upon her, to whisper wickedly in her ear with his busy tongue,in so much that she was enforced to seem conquered by him, and to speak to him in this manner: ' My friend Thrasyllus, this one thing must thou grant to my earnest prayers, that we should take our pleasure in such sort and so secret, that no servant of the house may perceive it until the whole year be complete and finished.' Then Thrasyllus, trusting the false promises of the woman, consented gladly to her secret embraces, and was joyful in his heart and looked for night, when as he might have his purpose, preferring his inordinate pleasure above all things in the world. ' But come you quietly about midnight,' said Charite, ' Covered up and disguised without all company. And do but hiss at my chamber-door, and await; my nurse shall attend sitting before the barrier for thy coming. Then shall she let thee in, and bring thee without any light, that might betray us, to my sleeping-room.'

This counsel of fatal marriage pleased Thrasyllus marvellously; who, suspecting no harm, and in a turmoil of expectation, did always complain that the day was long and the evening came not: but when at last the sun gave way to the night, according to Charite's commandment he disguised himself and went straight, full of hope, to her chamber, where he found the nurse attending for him with feigned diligence. She (by the appointment of her mistress) fed him with flattering talk, brought silently cups and a flagon, and gave him drink mingled and doled with sleepy drugs, excusing the absence of her mistress Charite by reason that she attended on her father being sick, until such time that with sweet talk and operation of the wine (for he drank greedily and suspected nothing) he fell in a sound sleep. Now when he lay prostrate on the ground ready to all attack, Charite (being called for) came in, and with manly courage and bold force stood over this sleeping murderer, saying: ' Behold the faithful companion of my husband, behold this valiant hunter, behold my dear spouse; this is the hand which shed my blood, this is the heart which hath devised so many subtle means to work my destruction, these be the eyes whom I have pleased to my ill: behold how in a manner they foreshewed their own destined punishment when they prayed for the darkness to come. Sleep careless, dream that thou art in the hands of the merciful, for 1 will not hurt thee with thy sword or with any other weapon; God forbid that I should make thee equal to my husband by a like death. But thy eyes shall fail thee still living, and thou shalt see no more save when thou dreamest: I will see to,it that thou shalt think the death of thine enemy more sweet than thy life: of a surety thou shalt see no light, thou shalt lack the aid of a leader, thou shalt not have me as thou hopest, thou shalt have no delight of my marriage, thou shalt have no rest in the quiet of death, and yet living thou shalt have no joy, but wander between the light of day and the darkness of hell as an unsure image: thou shalt seek for the hand that pricked out thy eyes, yet shalt thou not know (the most grievous part in all calamity) of whom thou shouldst complain: I will make libation With the blood of thine eyes upon the grave of my husband, I will pacify his holy shade with these eyes of thine. But why dost thou gain respite of thy due torment through my delay? Perhaps thou dreamest that thou embracest me in thine arms to thine own ruin: leave off the darkness of sleep, and awake thou to receive a penal deprivation of light: lift up thy sightless face, regard thy vengeance and evil fortune, reckon thy misery: so pleaseth thine eyes? to a chaste woman, so have the nuptial torches I lightened thy couch, that thou shalt have the Furies Ito be women of thy bedchamber, blindness to be thy companion, and an everlasting prick of remorse to thy miserable conscience.'

When she had prophesied in these words, she took a great needle from her head and pricked out both his eyes: which done, leaving him blind and waking in great pain (though he knew not whence it came) from his drunkenness and sleep, she by and by caught the naked sword which her husband Tlepolemus accustomed to wear, and ran throughout I all the city like a mad woman towards the sepulchre of her husband, doubtless bent on some wild purpose. [Then we with all the citizens left our houses and ran [incontinently after her, exhorting each other to take [the sword out of her furious hands; but she, clasping [about the tomb of Tlepolemus, kept us off with her naked weapon, and when she perceived that every Lone of us wept and lamented, she spake in this sort: 'I pray you, my friends, let there be no unasked tears for me nor laments unworthy of my courage, for I am revenged of the death of my husband, I have punished deservedly the Wicked breaker of our ¦marriage 1; now is it time to seek out with this sword the way to my sweet Tlepolemus.' And therewithal, [after she had made relation of the whole matter which was declared unto her by the vision of her husband which she saw, and told by what means she deceived Thrasyllus, thrusting the sword under her right Abreast and wallowing in her own blood, she babbled some uncertain words and at length with manly courage yielded up the ghost. Then immediately the friends of miserable Charite did wash carefully per body and bury her within the same sepulchre with ¦Tlepolemus to be his spouse for ever. Thrasyllus,hearing all the matter, and knowing that by no death he could fitly atone for this present ruin, for he thought his sword was not sufficient to revenge so great a crime, at length went of himself to the same sepulchre, and I cried with a loud voice, saying: ' O ye dead spirits whom I have so highly offended, receive me; behold I make sacrifice unto you with my body': which said he closed the doors of the sepulchre upon him, I purposing to famish himself, and so finish his life I there and yield up his accursed ghost in sorrow.

These things the young man with pitiful sighs and tears declared unto the cowherds and shepherds, which caused them all to weep; but they, fearing to become subject unto new masters, and pitying deeply [the misery of their master's house, prepared them-[selves to depart away; but by and by the horse-keeper, to whom the charge of me so carefully had been committed, brought forth all the precious I things that were stored in his cottage, and laded me and other horses withal, and so departed thence from his former place: we bare women, children, pullets, geese, kids, whelps, and other things which were not able to keep pace with us, which so travelled upon our feet. As for that which I bare upon my back, although it was a mighty burden, yet seemed it but light because I was very glad to depart and leave him that most terribly had appointed to geld me.

When we had passed over a great mountain full of trees and were come again into the open fields, behold we approached nigh to a fair and rich castle, where it was told unto us that we were not able to pass in our journey that night, nay, nor in the early morning either, by reason of the great number of terrible wolves which were in the country about, besieging all the roads; so great in their body and fierce and cruel, that they put every man in fear, in such sort that they would invade and set upon such which passed by like thieves, and devour them and their beasts: and sometimes they would be mad with hunger and would attack the country-farms that lay hard by, and that the same death as of the peaceful cattle would await the men therein. Moreover, we were advertised that there lay in the way where we should pass many dead bodies, half eaten land torn with wolves, and their inward flesh was all torn away and the white of their bones was everywhere to be seen. Wherefore we were willed to use all caution in our going, and to observe this above all, that in broad light, when the day was well on land the sun was high, and the fierceness of such 'horrible beasts was constrained by the light, to go close and round together, avoiding all hidden lairs, 'whereby we might pass and escape all perils and dangers. But (notwithstanding this good counsel) tour caitiff drivers were so covetous to go forward, 'being rash in their blind haste, and so fearful of pursuit, that they never heeded the advice nor stayed till the morning: but being not long past [midnight, they made us be laden and trudge in our way apace. Then I, fearing the great danger which was foretold, ran amongst the middle of the other horses and hid there as deep as I could, to the end I might defend and save my poor buttocks from the wolves: whereat every man much marvelled to lee that I scoured away swifter than the other horses: but such my agility was not to get me any praise for speed, but rather a sign of fear. At that time I remembered with myself that the valiant horse Pegasus did fly rather for fear and for that was [deservedly called winged, that he did leap up in the air and skip up to the very sky, more to avoid the dangerous bite of fiery Chimaera than for anything else. For the very shepherds which drove us before them were well armed like warriors for battle: one had a spear, another had a hunting lance, some had darts, some clubs, some also gathered up great stones, of which there were many upon that rough road, some held up sharpened stakes, and most feared away the wolves with light firebrands: finally we lacked I nothing to make up an army but only trumpets. But when we had passed these dangers not without small fear, though it was vain and empty, all was in I vain, for we fortuned to fall into a snare much worse; for the wolves came not upon us, either because of the great noise and multitude of our company, or else because of our firebrands, or peradventure they were gone to some other place, for we could see none, even afar off. But the inhabitants of [the next village (supposing that we were thieves by reason of our great multitude) for the defence of their own substance, and for the fear they were in, pet great and mighty mastiffs upon us, worse than any wolves or bears, which they had kept and nourished for the safety of their houses; who were both by nature very fierce and were urged on by their masters, holloing after their wont and driving them with all manner of cries; they, compassing us round about, leaped on every side, tearing us with their teeth, both man and beast, in such sort that they wounded and pulled many of us to the ground. Verily, it was a famous but a pitiful sight to see so L many dogs all mad with fury, some following such as Bed, some invading such as stood still, some leaping upon those which lay prostrate, and going throughput the whole of our company with savage biting, Behold, upon this, another worse danger ensued;

the inhabiters of the town stood upon their roofs and the hills hard by, throwing great stones upon our heads, so that we could not tell whether it were best for us to avoid the gaping mouths of the dogs at hand, or the peril of the stones afar. Amongst whom there was one that hurled a great flint upon the head of a woman which sat upon my back; who cried out piteously, desiring her husband, the shepherd, to help her. Then he (coining to wipe off the blood from his wife) began to complain in this sort, calling upon God's name: Alas, masters, what mean you to trouble us poor labouring men and wayfarers and so cruelly to overcome us? What think you to gain by us? What mean you to revenge yourselves-upon us, that do you no harm? You dwell not in caves or dens, you are no people barbarous that you should delight in effusion of human blood. At these words the tempest of stones did cease, and the storm of the dogs was called back and vanished away. Then one (standing on the top of a great cypress-tree) spake unto us, saying: Think you not, masters, that we do this to the intent to rifle or take away any of your goods, but for the safeguard of ourselves and family from a like slaughter at your hands; now in God's name you may depart away. So we went forward, some wounded with stones, some bitten with dogs, but generally there was none which escaped free.

When we had gone a good part of our way we came to a certain wood environed with great trees, and compassed about with pleasant meadows, where the shepherds, our guides, appointed to continue a certain space for rest, to cure their divers wounds and sores. Then they sat down on the ground to refresh their weary minds, and afterwards they sought for medicines to heal their bodies: some washed away their blood with the water of the running river, some laid upon their bruises sponges steeped with vinegar, some stopped their wounds with clouts; in this manner every one provided for his own safety.

In the mean season we perceived an old man that looked from the top of an hill, who seemed to be a shepherd by reason of the goats and sheep that fed round about him: then one of our company demanded whether he had any milk to sell, whether new drawn or freshly made into cheese. To whom he made answer, shaking his head, saying: Do you think now of any meat or drink, or any other refection here? Know none of you in what place you be? And therewithal he took his sheep and drove them away as fast as he might possible. This answer and his fleeing away made our shepherds greatly to fear, so that they thought of nothing else but to enquire what country they were in: howbeit, they saw no manner of person of whom they might demand. At length, as they were thus in doubt, they perceived another old man very tall and heavy with years, with a staff in his hand and very weary footsteps, who, approaching nigh to our company, began to weep greatly and complain, embracing the knees of every one and saying:

Alas, masters, I pray you by your fates and lucky spirits, may you come to the years of old age strong and joyful, as you shall succour me, miserable caitiff, tend restore my little one from Hell to my white hairs again. For he, my grandson, the dear companion of. my path, by following a sparrow that sang upon an hedge, is fallen into a ditch hereby that lay open at the root of the shrubs, and verily I think he is in danger of death. As for me, though I know from his own voice, crying oft upon his grandsire, that he yet liveth, I am not able to help him by reason of my old age, but you, that are so valiant and lusty, may easily help me herein a miserable old man, and deliver me my boy, last of my heirs and single offspring of my race that is yet left alive.

These words and his tearing of his white and aged hair made us all to pity him: and the youngest and stoutest of heart in our company, and strongest of body, who alone escaped unhurt from the late skirmish of dogs and stones, rose up quickly, demanding in what ditch the boy was fallen. Marry, said he, Yonder, and pointing with his finger, brought him to a great thicket of bushes and thorn, where they both entered in. In the mean season, after that we had well refreshed ourselves with our grazing and they had cured their wounds, each took up his packs, purposing to depart away. And because we would not go away without the young man our fellow, the shepherds whistled and called for him by his name; but when he gave no answer they feared because of his long absence and sent one of their company to seek him out, and to tell him that it was now time to set forth on the journey with us. But he after a while returned again with an ashen-pale face, trembling, with strange and sorrowful news of his fellow, saying that he saw him lying upon his back and a terrible dragon eating and devouring him: and as for the miserable old man, he could see him in no place. When they heard this (remembering likewise the words of the first old man that had warned them of this and no other habitant of the place) they ran away, beating us before them, to fly from this desert and pestilent country. Then after we had very quickly passed a great part of our journey we came to a certain village, where we lay all night. But hearken, and I will tell you a great and notable mischief that happened there.

You shall understand that there was a servant to whom his master had committed the whole government of his house, and he was bailiff of the great lodging where we lay: this servant had married a maiden, a fellow-slave of the same house, howbeit he burned greatly for love of a free woman of another house. Therewith was his wife so highly displeased and became so jealous, that she gathered together all her husband's substance, with his tallies and books of accounts, and burned them with fire. She was not contented with this damage, nor thought that she had so avenged the wrong done to her bed, but she took a cord, and now raging against her own bowels, she bound her child which she had by her husband about her middle and cast herself headlong into a deep pit, carrying her babe with her. The master, taking in evil part the death of these twain, took his servant which had made for his wife the cause of this murder, and after that he had first put off all his apparel, he anointed his body with honey, and then bound him sure to a fig-tree, where in a rotten stock a great number of pismires or ants had built their nests, and ran always about in great multitudes like sprinkling water. The pismires, after they had felt the savour and sweetness of the honey, came upon his body, and by little and little but unfailing gnawing, in continuance of time with long torturing devoured all his flesh and his vitals, in such sort that there remained on the fatal tree nothing of his flesh but only his shining white bones.

This was declared unto us by the inhabitants of the village there, who greatly sorrowed for this servant: then we, avoiding likewise from this dreadful lodging, incontinently departed away, and for a whole day travelled through the plain country, and then we came very tired to a fair city very populous, where our shepherds determined to make their home and continue, by reason that it seemed a place where they might live unknown, far from such as should pursue them, and because it was a country very plentiful of corn and other victuals. There when we had remained the space of three days, and that I, poor ass, and the other horses were fed and kept in the stable to the intent we might seem more saleable, we were brought out at length to the market, and by and by a crier sounded with his horn to notify that we were to be sold. All my companion horses and the other asses were bought up by gentlemen, but as for me I stood still forsaken, for that most men passed me by with despight. And when many buyers came by and handled me and looked at my teeth in my mouth to know my age, I was so weary with opening my jaws that at length (unable to endure any longer) when one came with a stinking pair of hands and grated my gums often with his filthy fingers, I seized them and well nigh bit them clean off, which thing caused the standers-by to forsake buying me, as being a fierce and cruel beast. The crier when he had gotten a hoarse voice and was well nigh burst with crying, and saw that no man would buy me, began very scurrilously to mock any evil fortune, saying: To what end stand we mere to offer for sale this vile ass, this old feeble beast, this slow jade with worn hoofs, made hideous my his labours, idle save when he is vicious, and good for nothing but to make sieves of his skin? Why do we not give him to somebody, if there be any that it shall irk not to find him his hay?

In this manner the crier made all the standers-by to laugh exceedingly; but my evil fortune, which was ever so cruel against me, whom I, by travel of so many countries, could in no wise escape nor appease the envy thereof by all the woes I had undergone, did more and more cast its blind and evil eyes upon me, with invention of new means to afflict my poor body, in giving me another master very, fit for my hard fate. Listen what man he was. There was an old naughty man, somewhat bald, with long and grey hair, one of the number of those of the lewdest;dregs of the people which go from door to door throughout all the villages, bearing the image of the Syrian goddess, and playing with cymbals and bones, to get the alms of good and charitable folks. This old man came hastily towards the crier, and demanded where I was bred. Marry, quoth he, In Cappadocia: and he is very strong. Then he enquired what age I was of, and the crier, jesting, answered: A mathematician, which disposed to me his planets, said that he was five years old; yet this doth ne know best himself from his own register public. For I would not willingly incur the penalty of the law Cornelia in selling a free citizen for a servile slave, yet if you shall buy him you shall have a good. Lid useful chattel both at home and about the country. But this cursed buyer did never stint to question of my qualities, and at length he demanded whether I were gentle or no: Gentle! quoth the tier, As gentle as a lamb, tractable to all use: he will never bite, he will never kick, but you would rather think that under the shape of the ass there were some well-advised man, which verily you may easily conject; for if you would thrust your nose in his tail you shall perceive how patient he is. Thus the crier wittily mocked the old rascal; but he, perceiving his taunts and jests, waxed very angry, saying: Away, doting crier, thou deaf and dumb carrion, I pray the omnipotent and omniparent Syrian goddess, Saint Sabadius, Bellona with the Idaean mother, and Venus with her Adonis to strike out both thine eyes that with taunting mocks hast scoffed me in this sort. Dost thou think that I will put a goddess upon the back of any fierce beast, whereby her divine image should be thrown down fan the ground, and so I, poor wretch, should be compelled (tearing my hair) to look for some physician to help her as she lies fallen? When I heard him speak this, I thought with myself suddenly to leap up like a mad ass, to the intent he should not buy me, thinking me very fierce; but incontinently, like an eager buyer, he prevented my thought, and would lay down my price for me, even seventeen pence: then my master was glad, being weary of me, and receiving the money, delivered me by mine halter of straw to my new master, who was called Philebus. He carried his new servant home, and when he came to the door of the house, he celled out his troop, saying: Behold, my daughters,1 what a gentle servant I have bought for you. Yet were these laughters a band of lewd and naughty fellows, and at first they were marvellous glad, prattling and shouting for joy with their broken and harsh voices, like a troop of women, in discordant sounds, and thought verily that he had brought home a fit and convenient servant for their purpose. But when they perceived that it was not even an hind 1 instead of a maiden, but rather a makeshift ass for a man, they began to reprove him with great scorn, saying that he had not brought a servant for them, but rather a stalling ass for himself. Howbeit, quoth they, Keep this pretty beast not wholly for your own delight, but let us, your darling doves, likewise have him at commandment.

Therewithal babbling in this wise, they led me into the stable, and tied me to the manger; and there was a certain stout young man with a mighty body, well skilled in playing on flutes, whom they had bought in a market with the money they had collected; and he walked before their procession, playing the horn when they carried round their goddess, and at home he shared in all their labours and they made great use of him. Now he, as soon as he espied me, entertained me very well, for he filled my rack and manger with meat, and spake merrily, saying: O master ass, you are welcome; now you shall take my office in hand: you are come to supply my room, and to ease me of my miserable labour: I pray God thou mayest long live and please my master well, to the end thou mayest continually deliver my weary sides from so great pain and labour. When I heard his words, I did prognosticate my new misery to come. The day following I saw them apparelled in divers colours, and hideously tricked out, having their faces ruddled with paint, and their eyes tricked out with grease, mitres on their heads, vestments coloured like saffron, surplices of silk and linen; and some ware white tunics painted with purple stripes that pointed every way like spears, girt with belts, and on their feet were yellow shoes; and they attired the goddess in silken robe, and put her upon ray back. Then they went forth with their arras naked to their shoulders, bearing with them great swords and mighty axes, shouting and (lancing like mad persons to the sound of the pipe. After that we had passed many small villages, we fortuned to come to a certain rich man's house, where at our first entry they began to howl all out of tune and hurl themselves hither and thither, as though they were mad. They made a thousand gests with their feet and their heads; they would bend down their necks and spin round so that their hair flew out in a circle; they would bite their own flesh; finally, every one took his twyedged weapon and wounded his arms in divers places. Meanwhile there was one more mad than the rest, that fetched many deep sighs from the bottom of his heart, as though he had been ravished in spirit, or replenished with divine power, and he feigned a swoon and frenzy, as if (forsooth) the presence of the gods were not wont to make men better than before, but weak and sickly. Mark then how by divine providence he found a just and worthy recompense after that he had somewhat returned to himself, he invented and forged a great lie, noisily prophesying and accusing and charging himself, saying that he had displeased the divine majesty of the goddess by doing of something which was not convenable to the order of their holy religion, wherefore he prayed that vengeance might be done of himself. And therewithal he took a whip, such as is naturally borne by these womanish men, with many twisted knots and tassels of wool, and strung with sheep's knuckle-bones, and with the knotted thongs scourged his own body very strong to bear the pain of the blows, so that you might see the ground to be wet and defiled with the womanish blood that issued out abundantly with the cutting of the swords and the blows of the scourge: which thing caused me greatly to fear to see such wounds and effusion of blood, lest the same foreign goddess should likewise desire the blood of an ass for her stomach, as some men long for ass's milk After they at last were weary, or at least satisfied with rending themselves, they ceased from this bloody business: and, behold, they received from the inhabitants, who offered eagerly, into their open bosoms copper coins, nay silver too, vessels of wine, milk, cheese, flour and wheat; and amongst them there were some that brought barley to the ass that carried the goddess: but the greedy whoresons thrust all into their sacks which they brought for the purpose, and put them upon my back, to the end I might serve for two purposes, that is to say: for the barn by reason of my corn, and for the temple by reason of the goddess that I bare.

In this sort they went from place to place robbing all the country over; at length they came to a certain town, purposing to make good cheer there, being Wad at a great gain they had gotten, where, under colour of divination, they brought to pass that they obtained a fat ram of a poor husbandman for the goddess' supper, and to make sacrifice withal. After that the banquet was richly prepared, they washed their bodies, and brought in a lusty young man of the village to sup with them; and when he had scarce tasted a few herbs before the supper they began to discover their beastly customs and inordinate desires. For they compassed him round about as he sat, to abuse him, but when mine eyes would not long bear to behold this horrible fact, I could not but attempt to utter my mind and say, O masters, but I could pronounce no more but the first letter O, which I roared out very clearly and valiantly and like an ass; but at a time inopportune, for some young men of the town, seeking for a stray ass that they had lost the same night, and searching diligently all the inns, heard my voice within the house; whereby they judged that I had been theirs, but concealed in a hidden place, and resolving to manage their own business, they entered altogether unawares, and found these persons committing their vile abomination. This when they saw they called all the neighbouring inhabitants and declared to them their unnatural villainy, mocking and laughing at this the pure and clean chastity of these priests. Then they, ashamed it the report which was dispersed throughout all the region there of their beastly wickedness, so that they were justly hated and despised of all, about midnight brought together all their trumpery and departed away from the town. When we had passed a good part of our journey before the rising of the sun, and were now come into a wide desert in the broad day, they conspired much together to slay me. For after they had taken the goddess from my back and set her gingerly upon the ground, they likewise took off all my harness and bound me surely to an oak, and then beat me with that whip which was knotted with sheep's bones, in such sort that they had well nigh killed me. Amongst them there was one that threatened to cut my hamstrings with his hatchet, because by my noise I had so famously hurt his pure chastity; but the others, regarding more the image that lay upon the ground than my safety, thought best to spare my life; and so they laded me again, driving me before them with their naked swords till they came to a noble city. There the principal patron, who was in every way a man very religious, and especially bearing high reverence unto the goddess, came in great devotion to meet us when he heard our tinkling cymbals and tapping drums and the soft strain of the Phrygian music, and received her and all our company as a pious host into his great house, and he hastened with much sacrifice and veneration to appease her godhead.

But there, I remember, I thought myself in most danger of all my life; for there was one that brought venison to the master of the house, a side of a fat buck, for a present; which being hanged carelessly behind the kitchen door, not far from the ground, was clean eaten up by a hunting greyhound that came in, who, joyful to have gotten his prey, escaped the eyes of them that watched. The cook, when he saw the venison devoured, reproving his own negligence, lamented and wept to no purpose, and because supper-time approached nigh, when his master should now call for the meat, he sorrowed and feared greatly; and bidding farewell to his little child, he took a halter to hang himself; but his good wife, perceiving whereabout he went, ran incontinently to him, and taking the deadly halter in both her hands stopped him of his purpose, saying: O husband, are you out of your wits with this present trouble? What intend you to do? See you not a chance remedy before your eyes ministered unto you by divine providence? I pray you, husband, if you have any sense left in this storm of fortune, listen attentively to my counsel: carry this strange ass out into some secret place and kill him; which done, cut off one of his aides, and sauce it well like the side of the buck, and set it before your master in place thereof. Then the naughty rascal, the cook, was well pleased to slay me, to save himself, and praised greatly the shrewd counsel of his wife; and to bring his purpose to pass, he went to the whetstone to sharp his tools accordingly for the butchery he had promised.