the golden asse-第43章

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me　speedy　remedy　to　save　his　life。　　The　woman　that　slew　the　Maiden　having　lost　the　name　of　wife　together　with　her　faith；　went　to　a　traiterous　Physician；　who　had　killed　a　great　many　persons　in　his　dayes　and　promised　him　fifty　peeces　of　Gold；　if　he　would　give　her　a　present　poyson　to　kill　her　husband　out　of　hand；　but　in　presence　of　her　Husband；　she　feined　that　it　was　necessary　for　him　to　receive　a　certaine　kind　of　drink；　which　the　Maisters　and　Doctours　of　Physicke　doe　call　a　sacred　Potion；　to　the　intent　he　might　purge　Choller　and　scoure　the　interiour　parts　of　his　body。　　But　the　Physitian　in　stead　of　that　drinke　prepared　a　mortall　and　deadly　poyson；　and　when　he　had　tempered　it　accordingly；　he　tooke　the　pot　in　the　presence　of　the　family；　and　other　neighbours　and　friends　of　the　sick　yong　man；　and　offered　it　to　his　patient。　　But　the　bold　and　hardy　woman；　to　the　end　she　might　accomplish　her　wicked　intent；　and　also　gaine　the　money　which　she　had　promised　the　Physitian；　staid　the　pot　with　her　hand；　saying：　I　pray　you　master　Physitian；　minister　not　this　drinke　unto　my　deare　Husband；　untill　such　time　as　you　have　drunke　some　part　thereof　your　selfe：　For　what　know　I；　whether　you　have　mingled　any　poyson　in　the　drinke　or　no；　wherein　I　would　have　you　not　to　be　offended　：　For　I　know　that　you　are　a　man　of　wisedome　and　learning；　but　this　I　do　to　the　intent　the　conscience　and　love　that　I　beare　to　the　health　and　safeguard　of　my　husband；　may　be　apparent。　　The　Physitian　being　greatly　troubled　at　the　wickednesse　of　this　mischievous　woman；　as　voyd　of　all　counsell　and　leysure　to　consider　of　the　matter；　and　least　he　might　give　any　cause　of　suspition　to　the　standers　by；　or　shew　any　scruple　of　his　guilty　conscience；　by　reason　of　long　delay；　tooke　the　pot　in　his　hand；　and　presently　drunke　a　good　draught　thereof；　which　done；　the　young　man　having　no　mistrust；　drunke　up　the　residue。　　The　Physitian　would　have　gone　immediately　home　to　receive　a　counterpoyson；　to　expeth　and　drive　out　the　first　poyson　：　But　the　wicked　woman　persevering　in　her　mischiefe；　would　not　suffer　him　to　depart　a　foot；　untill　such　time　as　the　poyson　began　to　worke　in　him；　and　then　by　much　prayer　and　intercession　she　licensed　him　to　goe　home：　By　the　way　the　poyson　invaded　the　intrailes　and　bowels　of　the　whole　body　of　the　Physitian；　in　such　sort　that　with　great　paine　he　came　to　his　owne　house；　where　he　had　scarce　time　to　speake　to　his　wife；　and　to　will　her　to　receive　the　promised　salitary　of　the　death　of　two　persons；　but　he　yeelded　up　the　ghost　：　And　the　other　young　man　lived　not　long　after；　but　likewise　dyed；　amongst　the　feined　and　deceitfull　teares　of　his　cursed　wife。　A　few　dayes　after；　when　the　young　man　was　buried　and　the　funerall　ended；　the　Physitians　wife　demanded　of　her　the　fifty　peeces　of　gold　which　she　promised　her　husband　for　the　drinke；　whereat　the　ill　disposed　woman；　with　resemblance　of　honesty；　answered　her　with　gentle　words；　and　promised　to　give　her　the　fifty　peeces　of　gold；　if　she　would　fetch　her　a　little　of　that　same　drinke；　to　proceed　and　make　an　end　of　all　her　enterprise。　　The　Physitians　wife　partly　to　winne　the　further　favour　of　this　rich　woman；　and　partly　to　gaine　the　money；　ranne　incontinently　home；　and　brought　her　a　whole　roote　of　poyson；　which　when　she　saw；　having　now　occasion　to　execute　her　further　malice；　and　to　finish　the　damnable　plot；　began　to　stretch　out　her　bloody　hands　to　murther。　　She　had　a　daughter　by　her　husband　（that　was　poysoned）　who　according　to　order　of　law；　was　appointed　heire　of　all　the　lands　and　goods　of　her　father　：　but　this　woman　knowing　that　the　mothers　succoured　their　children；　and　received　all　their　goods　after　their　death；　purposed　to　shew　her　selfe　a　like　parent　to　her　child；　as　she　was　a　wife　to　her　husband；　whereupon　she　prepared　a　dinner　with　her　owne　hands；　and　empoysoned　both　the　wife　of　the　Physitian　and　her　owne　daughter　：　The　child　being　young　and　tender　dyed　incontinently　by　force　of　the　drinke；　but　the　Physitians　wife　being　stout　and　strong　of　complexion；　feeling　the　poison　to　trill　down　into　her　body；　doubted　the　matter；　and　thereupon　knowing　of　certainty　that　she　had　received　her　bane；　ran　forthwith　to　the　judges　house；　that　what　with　her　cryes；　and　exclamations；　she　raised　up　the　people　of　the　towne；　and　promising　them　to　shew　divers　wicked　and　mischievous　acts；　caused　that　the　doores　and　gates　were　opened。　　When　she　came　in　she　declared　from　the　beginning　to　the　end　the　abhomination　of　this　woman：　but　shee　had　scarce　ended　her　tale；　when　opening　her　falling　lips；　and　grinding　her　teeth　together；　she　fell　downe　dead　before　the　face　of　the　Judge；　who　incontinently　to　try　the　truth　of　the　matter；　caused　the　cursed　woman；　and　her　servants　to　be　pulled　out　of　the　house；　and　enforced　by　paine　of　torment　to　confesse　the　verity；　which　being　knowne；　this　mischievous　woman　farre　lesse　then　she　deserved；　but　because　there　could　be　no　more　cruell　a　death　invented　for　the　quality　of　her　offence；　was　condemned　to　be　eaten　with　wild　beasts。　Behold　with　this　woman　was　I　appointed　to　have　to　doe　before　the　face　of　the　people；　but　I　being　wrapped　in　great　anguish；　and　envying　the　day　of　the　triumph；　when　we　two　should　so　abandon　our　selves　together；　devised　rather　to　sley　my　selfe；　then　to　pollute　my　body　with　this　mischievous　harlot；　and　so　for　ever　to　remaine　defamed：　but　it　was　impossible　for　me　so　to　doe；　considering　that　I　lacked　hands；　and　was　not　able　to　hold　a　knife　in　my　hoofes：　howbeit　standing　in　a　pretty　cabin；　I　rejoyced　in　my　selfe　to　see　that　spring　time　was　come；　and　that　all　things　flourished；　and　that　I　was　in　good　hope　to　find　some　Roses；　to　render　me　my　humane　shape。　When　the　day　of　triumph　came；　I　was　led　with　great　pompe　and　benevolence　to　the　appointed　place；　where　when　I　was　brought；　I　first　saw　the　preamble　of　that　triumph；　dedicated　with　dancers　and　merry　taunting　jests；　and　in　the　meane　season　was　placed　before　the　gate　of　the　Theater；　whereas　on　the　one　side　I　saw　the　greene　and　fresh　grasse　growing　before　the　entry　thereof；　whereon　I　greatly　desired　to　feed：　on　the　other　side　I　conceived　a　great　delectation　to　see　when　the　Theater　gates　were　opened；　how　all　things　was　finely　prepared　and　set　forth：　For　there　I　might　see　young　children　and　maidens　in　the　flowre　of　their　youth　of　excellent　beauty；　and　attired　gorgiously；　dancing　and　mooved　in　comely　order；　according　to　the　order　of　Grecia；　for　sometime　they　would　dance　in　length；　sometime　round　together；　sometime　divide　themselves　into　foure　parts；　and　sometime　loose　hands　on　every　side：　but　when　the　trumpet　gave　warning　that　every　man　should　retire　to　his　place；　then　began　the　triumph　to　appeare。　　First　there　was　a　hill　of　wood；　not　much　unlike　that　which　the　Poet　Homer　called　Idea；　for　it　was　garnished　about　with　all　sort　of　greene　verdures　and　lively　trees；　from　the　top　whereof　ran　downe　a　cleare　and　fresh　fountaine；　nourishing　the　waters　below；　about　which　wood　were　many　young　and　tender　Goates；　plucking　and　feeding　daintily　on　the　budding　trees；　then　came　a　young　man　a　shepheard　representing　Paris；　richly　arrayed　with　vestments　of　Barbary；　having　a　mitre　of　gold　upon　his　head；　and　seeming　as　though　he　kept　the　goates。　　After　him　ensued　another　young　man　all　naked；　saving　that　his　left　shoulder　was　covered　with　a　rich　cloake；　and　his　head　shining　with　glistering　haires；　and　hanging　downe；　through　which　you　might　perceive　two　little　wings；　whereby　you　might　conjecture　that　he　was　Mercury；　with　his　rod　called　Caduceus；　he　bare　in　his　right　hand　an　Apple　of　gold；　and　with　a　seemely　gate　went　towards　him　that　represented　Paris；　and　after　hee　had　delivered　him　the　Apple；　he　made　a　signe；　signifying　that　Jupiter　had　commanded　him　so　to　doe　：　when　he　had　done　his　message　he　departed　away。　　And　by　and　by；　there　approached　a　faire　and　comely　mayden；　not　much　unlike　to　Juno；　for　she　had　a　Diademe　of　gold　upon　her　head；　and　in　her　hand　she　bare　a　regall　scepter　：　then　followed　another　resembling　Pallas；　for　she　had　on　her　head　a　shining　sallet；　whereon　was　bound　a　garland　of　Olive　branches；　having　in　one　hand　a　target　or　shield　：　and　in　the　other　a　speare　as　though　she　would　fight　：　then　came　another　which　passed　the　other　in　beauty；　and　presented　the　Goddesse　Venus；　with　the　color　of　Ambrosia；　when　she　was　a　maiden；　and　to　the　end　she　would　shew　her　perfect　beauty；　shee　appeared　all　naked；　saving　that　her　fine　and　dainty　skin　was　covered　with　a　thin　smocke；　which　the　wind　blew　hither　and　thither　to　testifie　the　youth　and　flowre　of　the　age　of　the　dame。　　Her　colour　was　of　two　sorts；　for　her　body　was　white　as　descended　from　heaven；　and　her　smocke　was　blewish；　as　arrived　from　the　sea　：　After　every　one　of　the　Virgins　which　seemed　goddesses；　followed　certaine　waiting　servants；　Castor　and　Pollus　went　behind　Juno；　having　on　their　heads　helmets　covered　with　starres。　　This　Virgin　Juno　sounded　a　Flute；　which　shee　bare　in　her　hand；　and　mooved　her　selfe　towards　the　shepheard　Paris；　shewing　by　honest　signes　and　tokens；　and　promising　that　hee　should　be　Lord　of　all　Asia；　if　hee　would　judge　her　the　fairest　of　the　three；　and　to　give　her　the　apple　of　gold　：　the　other　maiden　which　seemed　by　her　armour　to　be　Pallas；　was　accompanied　with　two　young　men　armed；　and　brandishing　their　naked　swords　in　their　hands；　where