the golden asse-第33章

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ground　dead。　His　schoolemaster　seeing　his　suddaine　change；　called　his　mother；　and　all　the　servants　of　the　house　with　a　lowd　voyce。　　Incontinently　every　man　declared　his　opinion；　touching　the　death　of　the　child　：　but　the　cruell　woman　the　onely　example　of　stepmothers　malice；　was　nothing　moved　by　the　bitter　death　of　her　sonne；　or　by　her　owne　conscience　of　paracide；　or　by　the　misfortune　of　her　house；　or　by　the　dolour　of　her　husband；　but　rather　devised　the　destruction　of　all　her　family。　　For　by　and　by　shee　sent　a　messenger　after　her　husband　to　tell　him　the　great　misfortune　which　happened　after　his　departure。　And　when　lie　came　home；　the　wicked　woman　declared　that　his　sonne　had　empoysoned　his　brother；　because　he　would　not　consent　to　his　will；　and　told　him　divers　other　leasings；　adding　in　the　end　that　hee　threatned　to　kill　her　likewise；　because　she　discovered　the　fact　：　Then　the　unhappy　father　was　stroken　with　double　dolour　of　the　death　of　his　two　children；　for　on　the　one　side　he　saw　his　younger　sonne　slaine　before　his　eyes；　on　the　other　side；　he　seemed　to　see　the　elder　condemned　to　dye　for　his　offence　：　Againe；　where　he　beheld　his　wife　lament　in　such　sort；　it　gave　him　further　occasion　to　hate　his　sonne　more　deadly；　but　the　funerals　of　his　younger　sonne　were　scarce　finished；　when　the　old　man　　the　father　with　weeping　eyes　even　at　the　returne　from　　the　grave；　went　to　the　Justice　and　accused　his　sonne　of　the　slaughter　of　his　brother；　and　how　he　threatned　to　slay　his　wife；　whereby　the　rather　at　his　weeping　and　lamentation；　he　moved　all　the　Magistrates　and　people　to　pitty；　insomuch　that　without　any　delay；　or　further　inquisition　they　cryed　all　that　hee　should　be　stoned　to　death；　but　the　Justices　fearing　a　farther　inconvenience　to　arise　by　the　particular　vengeance；　and　to　the　end　there　might　fortune　no　sedition　amongst　the　people；　prayed　the　decurions　and　other　Officers　of　the　City；　that　they　might　proceed　by　examination　of　witnesses；　and　with　order　of　justice　according　to　the　ancient　custome　before　the　judging　of　any　hasty　sentence　or　judgment；　without　the　hearing　of　the　contrary　part；　like　as　the　barbarous　and　cruell　tyrants　accustome　to　use：　otherwise　they　should　give　an　ill　example　to　their　successours。　This　opinion　pleased　every　man；　wherefore　the　Senatours　and　counsellors　were　called；　who　being　placed　in　order　according　to　their　dignity；　caused　the　accuser　and　defender　to　be　brought　forth；　and　by　the　example　of　the　Athenian　law；　and　judgement　materiall；　their　Advocates　were　commanded　to　plead　their　causes　briefly　without　preambles　or　motions　of　the　people　to　pitty；　which　were　too　long　a　processe。　And　if　you　demand　how　I　understood　all　this　matter；　you　shall　understand　that　I　heard　many　declare　the　same；　but　to　recite　what　words　the　accuser　used　in　his　invective；　what　answer　the　defender　made；　the　orations　and　pleadings　of　each　party；　verily　I　am　not　able　to　doe　：　for　I　was　fast　bound　at　the　manger。　　But　as　I　learned　and　knew　by　others；　I　will　God　willing　declare　unto　you。　　So　it　was　ordered；　that　after　the　pleadings　of　both　sides　was　ended；　they　thought　best　to　try　and　boult　out　the　verity　by　witnesses；　all　presumptions　and　likelihood　set　apart；　and　to　call　in　the　servant；　who　onely　was　reported　to　know　all　the　matter　：　by　and　by　the　servant　came　in；　who　nothing　abashed；　at　the　feare　of　so　great　a　judgment；　or　at　the　presence　of　the　Judges；　or　at　his　owne　guilty　conscience；　which　hee　so　finely　fained；　but　with　a　bold　countenance　presented　himselfe　before　the　justices　and　confirmed　the　accusation　against　the　young　man；　saying：　O　yee　judges；　on　a　day　when　this　young　man　loathed　and　hated　his　stepmother；　hee　called　mee；　desiring　mee　to　poyson　his　brother；　whereby　hee　might　revenge　himselfe；　and　if　I　would　doe　it　and　keepe　the　matter　secret；　hee　promised　to　give　me　a　good　reward　for　my　paines　：　but　when　the　young　man　perceived　that　I　would　not　accord　to　his　will；　he　threatned　to　slay　mee；　whereupon　hee　went　himselfe　and　bought　poyson；　and　after　tempered　it　with　wine；　and　then　gave　it　me　to　give　the　child；　which　when　I　refused　he　offered　it　to　his　brother　with　his　own　hands。　　When　the　varlet　with　a　trembling　countenance　had　ended　these　words　which　seemed　a　likelihood　of　truth；　the　judgement　was　ended　：　neither　was　there　found　any　judge　or　counsellor；　so　mercifull　to　the　young　　man　accused；　as　would　not　judge　him　culpable；　but　that　he　should　be　put　and　sowne　in　a　skin；　with　a　dogge；　a　Cocke；　a　Snake；　and　an　Ape；　according　to　the　law　against　parricides　：　wherefore　they　wanted　nothing　but　（as　the　ancient　custome　was）　to　put　white　stones　and　black　into　a　pot；　and　to　take　them　out　againe；　to　see　whether　the　young…man　accused　should　be　acquitted　by　judgment　or　condemned；　which　was　a　thing　irrevocable。

　In　the　mean　season　he　was　delivered　to　the　hands　of　the　executioner。　　But　there　arose　a　sage　and　ancient　Physitian；　a　man　of　a　good　conscience　and　credit　throughout　all　the　　City；　that　stopped　the　mouth　of　the　pot　wherein　the　stones　were　cast；　saying：　I　am　right　glad　ye　reverend　judges；　that　I　am　a　man　of　name　and　estimation　amongst　you；　whereby　I　am　accompted　such　a　one　as　will　not　suffer　any　person　to　be　put　to　death　by　false　and　untrue　accusations；　considering　there　hath　bin　no　homicide　or　murther　committed　by　this　yong　man　in　this　case；　neither　you　（being　　sworn　to　judge　uprightly）　to　be　misinformed　and　abused　by　invented　lyes　and　tales。　　For　I　cannot　but　declare　and　open　my　conscience；　least　I　should　be　found　to　beare　small　honour　and　faith　to　the　Gods；　wherefore　I　pray　you　give　eare；　and　I　will　shew　you　the　whole　truth　of　the　matter。　You　shall　understand　that　this　servant　which　hath　merited　to　be　hanged；　came　one　of　these　dayes　to　speake　with　me；　promising　to　give　me　a　hundred　crownes；　if　I　would　give　him　present　poyson；　which　would　cause　a　man　to　dye　suddenly；　saying；　that　he　would　have　it　for　one　that　was　sicke　of　an　incurable　disease；　to　the　end　he　might　be　delivered　from　all　torment；　but　I　smelling　his　crafty　and　subtill　fetch；　and　fearing　least　he　would　worke　some　mischiefe　withall；　gave　him　a　drinke；　but　to　the　intent　I　might　cleare　my　selfe　from　all　danger　that　might　happen；　I　would　not　presently　take　the　money　which　he　offered。　But　least　any　of　the　crownes　should　lacke　weight　or　be　found　counterfeit；　I　willed　him　to　scale　the　purse　wherein　they　were　put；　with　his　manuell　signe；　whereby　the　next　day　we　might　goe　together　to　the　Goldsmith　to　try　them；　which　he　did；　wherefore　understanding　that　he　was　brought　present　before　you　this　day；　I　hastily　commanded　one　of　my　servants　to　fetch　the　purse　which　he　had　sealed；　and　here　I　bring　it　unto　you　to　see　whether　he　will　deny　his　owne　signe　or　no：　and　you　may　easily　conject　that　his　words　are　untrue；　which　he　alleadged　against　the　young　man；　touching　the　buying　of　the　poyson；　considering　hee　bought　the　poyson　himselfe。　　When　the　Physitian　had　spoken　these　words　you　might　perceive　how　the　trayterous　knave　changed　his　colour；　how　hee　sweat　for　feare；　how　he　trembled　in　every　part　of　his　body：　and　how　he　set　one　leg　upon　another；　scratching　Ibis　head　and　grinding　his　teeth；　whereby　there　was　no　person　but　would　judge　him　culpable。　　In　the　end；　when　he　was　somewhat　returned　to　his　former　subtility；　he　began　to　deny　all　that　was　said；　and　stoutly　affirmed；　that　the　Physitian　did　lye。　But　the　Physitian　perceiving　that　he　was　rayled　at　and　his　words　denyed；　did　never　cease　to　confirme　his　sayings；　and　to　disprove　the　varlet；　till　such　time　as　the　Officers　by　the　commandment　of　the　Judges；　bound　his　hands　and　brought　out　the　seale；　wherewith　he　had　sealed　the　purse　which　augmented　suspition　which　was　conceived　of　him　first。　Howbeit；　neither　the　feare　of　the　wheele　or　any　other　torment　according　to　the　use　of　the　Grecians；　which　were　ready　prepared；　no；　nor　yet　the　fire　could　enforce　him　to　confesse　the　matter；　so　obstinate　and　grounded　was　he　in　his　mischievous　mind。　　But　the　Physitian　perceiving　that　the　menaces　of　these　torments　did　nothing　prevaile；　gan　say：　I　cannot　suffer　or　abide　that　this　young　man　who　is　innocent；　should　against　all　law　and　conscience；　be　punished　and　condemned　to　die；　and　the　other　which　is　culpable；　should　escape　so　easily；　and　after　mocke　and　flowte　at　your　judgement：　for　I　will　give　you　an　evident　proofe　and　argument　of　this　present　crime。　You　shall　understand；　that　when　this　caytiffe　demanded　of　me　a　present　and　strong　poyson；　considering　that　it　was　not　my　part　to　give　occasion　of　any　others　death；　but　rather　to　cure　and　save　sicke　persons　by　meane　of　medicines　：　and　on　the　other　side；　fearing　least　if　I　should　deny　his　request；　I　might　minister　a　further　cause　of　his　mischiefe；　either　that　he　would　buy　poyson　of　some　other；　or　else　returne　and　worke　his　wicked　intent；　with　a　sword　or　some　dangerous　weapon；　I　gave　him　no　poyson；　but　a　doling　drinke　of　Mandragora；　which　is　of　such　force；　that　it　will　cause　any　man　to　sleepe　as　though　he　were　dead。　　Neither　is　it　any　marvaile　if　this　most　desperate　man；　who　is　certainly　assured　to　be　put　to　death；　ordained　by　an　ancient　custome；　can　suffer　and　abide　these　facill　and　easie　torments；　but　if　it　be　so　that　the　child　hath　received　the　drinke　as　I　tempered　it　with　mine　owne　hands；　he　is　yet　alive　and　doth　but　sleepe；　and　after　his　sleepe　he　shall　returne　to　life　againe；　but　if　he　be　dead　indeed；　then　may　you　further　enquire　of　the　causes　of　his　death。　The　opinion　of　this　ancient　Physitian　was　found　good；　and　every　man　had　a　desire　to　goe　to　the　Sepulchre　where　the　child　was　layd；　there　was　none　of　the　Justices；　none　of　any　　reputation　of　the　towne；　nor　any　of　the　common　people；　but　went　to　see　this　strange　sight。　　Amongst　them　all　the　father　of　the　child　remooved　with　his　owne　hands　the　stone　of　the　Sepulchre；　and　found　his　Sonne　rising　up　after　his　dead　and　soporiferous　sleepe；　whom　when　he　beheld；　he　imbraced　him　in　his　armes；　and　presented　him　before　the　people；　with　great　joy　and　consolation；　and　as　he　was　wrapped　and　bound　in　his　grave；　so　he　brought　him　before　the　Judges；　whereupon　the　wickednesse　of　the　Servant；　and；　the　treason　of　the　stepdame　was　plainely　discovered；　and　the　verity　of　the　matter　revealed；　whereby　the　woman　was　perpetually　exiled；　the　Servant　hanged　on　a　Gallowes；　and　the　Physitian　had　the　Crownes；　which　was　prepared　to　buy　the　poyson。　Behold　how　the　fortune　of　the　old　man　was　changed；　who　thinking　to　be　deprived　of　all　his　race　and　posterity；　was　in　one　moment　made　the　Father　of　two　Children。　　But　as　for　me；　I　was　ruled　and　handled　by　fortune；　according　to　her　pleasure。




THE　FORTY…FIFTH　CHAPTER


How　Apuleius　was　sold　to　two　brethren；　whereof　one　was　a　Baker；　and　the　other　a　Cooke；　and　how　finely　and　daintily　he　fared。

　THE　Souldier　that　payed　never　a　peny　for　me；　by　the　commandement　of　his　Captaine　was　sent　unto　Rome；　to　cary　Letters　to　the　great　Prince；　and　Generall　of　the　Campe。　　Before　he　went；　he　sold　me　for　eleven　pence　to　two　of　his　Companions；　being　Servants　to　a　man　of　worship；　whereof　one　was　a　Baker　that　baked　sweet　bread　and　delicates；　the　other　a　Cooke；　which　dressed　fine　and　excellent　meats　for　his　Master。　　These　two　lived　in　common；　and　would　drive　me　from　place　to　place；　to　carry　such　things　as　was　necessary；　insomuch　that　I　was　received　by　these　two；　as　a　third　Brother；　and　Companion；　and