the golden asse-第12章

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heth　the　estate　and　tranquillity　of　this　whole　City；　and　the　punishment　thereof　may　be　a　right　good　example　to　others。　　Wherefore　I　pray　you　most　venerable　Fathers；　to　whom　and　every　one　of　whom　it　doth　appertain；　to　provide　for　the　dignity　and　safety　of　the　Commonweale；　that　you　would　in　no　wise　suffer　this　wicked　Homicide；　embrued　with　the　bloud　of　so　many　murthered　citisens；　to　escape　unpunished。　　And　thinke　you　not　that　I　am　moved　thereunto　by　envy　or　hatred；　but　by　reason　of　my　office；　in　that　I　am　captain　of　the　night　Watch；　and　because　no　man　alive　should　accuse　mee　to　bee　remisse　in　the　same　I　wil　declare　all　the　whole　matter；　orderly　as　it　was　done　last　night。

This　night　past；　when　as　at　our　accustomed　houre　I　diligently　searched　every　part　of　the　City；　behold　I　fortuned　to　espy　this　cruell　young　man　drawing　out　his　sword　against　three　Citisens；　and　after　a　long　combat　foughten　between　them；　　he　murthered　one　after　another　miserably　：　which　when　hee　had　done；　moved　in　his　conscience　at　so　great　a　crime　hee　ran　away；　and　aided　by　the　reason　of　darknes；　slipt　into　a　house；　and　there　lay　hidden　all　night；　but　by　the　providence　of　the　Gods；　which　suffereth　no　heynous　offence　to　pass　unpunished；　hee　was　taken　by　us　this　morning　before　he　escaped　any　further；　and　so　brought　hither　to　your　honourable　presence　to　receive　his　desert　accordingly。

So　have　you　here　a　guilty　person；　a　culpable　homicide；　and　an　accused　stranger；　wherefore　pronounce　you　judgement　against　this　man　beeing　an　alien；　when　as　you　would　most　severely　and　sharply　revenge　such　an　offence　found　in　a　known　Citisen。　In　this　sort　the　cruell　accuser　finished　and　ended　his　terrible　tale。　　　Then　the　Crier　commanded　me　to　speake；　if　I　had　any　　thing　to　say　for　my　selfe；　but　I　could　in　no　wise　utter　any　word　at　all　for　weeping。　　And　on　the　other　side　I　esteemed　not　so　much　his　rigorous　accusation；　as　I　did　consider　myne　owne　miserable　conscience。　　Howbeit；　beeing　inspired　by　divine　Audacity；　at　length　I　gan　say；　Verily　I　know　that　it　is　an　hard　thing　for　him　that　is　accused　to　have　slaine　three　persons；　to　perswade　you　that　he　is　innocent；　although　he　should　declare　the　whole　truth；　and　confesse　the　matter　how　it　was　indeed　；　but　if　your　honours　will　vouchsafe　to　　give　me　audience；　I　will　shew　you；　that　if　I　am　condemned　to　die；　I　have　not　deserved　it　as　myne　owne　desert；　but　that　I　was　mooved　by　fortune　and　reasonable　cause　to　doe　that　fact。　　For　returning　somewhat　late　from　supper　yester　night　（beeing　well　tippled　with　wine；　which　I　will　not　deny）　and　approaching　nigh　to　my　common　lodging；　which　was　in　the　house　of　one　Milo　a　Citisen　of　this　city；　I　fortuned　to　espy　three　great　theeves　attempting　to　break　down　his　walls　and　gates；　and　to　open　the　locks　to　enter　in。　　And　when　they　had　removed　the　dores　out　of　the　hookes；　they　consulted　amongst　themselves；　how　they　would　handle　such　as　they　found　in　the　house。　　And　one　of　them　being　of　more　courage；　and　of　greater　stature　than　the　rest；　spake　unto　his　fellows　and　sayd；　Tush　you　are　but　boyes；　take　mens　hearts　unto　you；　and　let　us　enter　into　every　part　of　the　house；　and　such　as　we　find　asleep　let　us　kill；　and　so　by　that　meanes　we　shall　escape　without　danger。　　Verily　ye　three　Judges；　I　confess　that　I　drew　out　my　sword　against　those　three　Citizens；　but　I　thought　it　was　the　office　and　duty　of　one　that　beareth　good　will　to　this　weale　publique；　so　to　doe；　especially　since　they　put　me　in　great　fear；　and　assayed　to　rob　and　spoyl　my　friend　Milo。　　But　when　those　cruell　and　terrible　men　would　in　no　case　run　away；　nor　feare　my　naked　sword；　but　boldly　resist　against　me；　I　ran　upon　them　and　fought　valiantly。　　One　of　them　which　was　the　captain　invaded　me　strongly；　and　drew　me　by　the　haire　with　both　his　hands；　and　began　to　beat　me　with　a　great　stone　：　but　in　the　end　I　proved　the　hardier　man；　and　threw　him　downe　at　my　feet　and　killed　him。　　I　tooke　likewise　the　second　that　clasped　me　about　the　legs　and　bit　me；　and　slew　him　also。　　And　the　third　that　came　running　violently　against　me；　after　that　I　had　strucken　him　under　the　stomacke　fell　downe　dead。　　Thus　when　I　had　delivered　my　selfe；　the　house；　Myne　host；　and　all　his　family　from　this　present　danger；　I　thought　that　I　should　not　onely　escape　unpunished；　but　also　have　some　great　reward　of　the　city　for　my　paines。

Moreover；　I　that　have　always　been　clear　and　unspotted　of　crime；　and　that　have　esteemed　myne　innocency　above　all　the　treasure　of　the　world；　can　finde　no　reasonable　cause　why　upon　myne　accusation　I　should　be　condemned　to　die；　since　first　I　was　mooved　to　set　upon　the　theeves　by　just　occasion。　　Secondly；　because　there　is　none　that　can　affirm；　that　there　hath　been　at　any　time　either　grudge　or　hatred　between　us。　　Thirdly；　we　were　men　meere　strangers　and　of　no　acquaintance。　　Last　of　all；　no　man　can　prove　that　I　committed　that　fact　for　lucre　or　gaine。

When　I　had　ended　my　words　in　this　sort；　behold；　I　weeped　againe　pitteously；　and　holding　up　my　hands　I　prayed　all　the　people　by　the　mercy　of　the　Commonweale　and　for　the　love　of　my　poore　infants　and　children；　to　shew　me　some　pitty　and　favour。　　And　when　my　hearts　were　somewhat　relented　and　mooved　by　my　lamentable　teares；　I　called　all　the　gods　to　witnesse　that　I　was　unguilty　of　the　crime；　and　so　to　their　divine　providence；　I　committed　my　present　estate；　but　turning　my　selfe　againe；　I　perceived　that　all　the　people　laughed　exceedingly；　and　especially　my　good　friend　and　host　Milo。　Then　thought　I　with　my　selfe；　Alasse　where　is　faith？　　Where　is　remorse　of　conscience？　　Behold　I　am　condemned　to　die　as　a　murtherer；　for　the　safeguard　of　myne　Host　Milo　and　his　family。　Yet　is　he　not　contented　with　that；　but　likewise　laugheth　me　to　scorne；　when　otherwise　he　should　comfort　and　help　mee。



THE　FOURTEENTH　CHAPTER


How　Apuleius　was　accused　by　two　women；　and　how　the　slaine　bodies　were　found　blowne　bladders。

When　this　was　done；　out　came　a　woman　in　the　middle　of　the　Theatre　arrayed　in　mourning　vesture；　and　bearing　a　childe　in　her　armes。　　And　after　her　came　an　old　woman　in　ragged　robes；　crying　and　howling　likewise　：　and　they　brought　with　them　the　Olive　boughs　wherewith　the　three　slaine　bodies　were　covered　on　the　Beere；　and　cried　out　in　this　manner　：　O　right　Judges；　we　pray　by　the　justice　and　humanity　which　is　in　you；　to　have　mercy　upon　these　slaine　persons；　and　succour　our　Widowhood　and　losse　of　our　deare　husbands；　and　especially　this　poore　infant；　who　is　now　an　Orphan；　and　deprived　of　all　good　fortune　：　and　execute　your　justice　by　order　and　law；　upon　the　bloud　of　this　Theefe；　who　is　the　occasion　of　all　our　sorrowes。　When　they　had　spoken　these　words；　one　of　the　most　antient　Judges　did　rise　and　say；　Touching　this　murther；　which　deserveth　great　punishment；　this　malefactor　himselfe　cannot　deny；　but　our　duty　is　to　enquire　and　try　out；　whether　he　had　Coadjutors　to　help　him。　　For　it　is　not　likely　that　one　man　alone　could　kill　three　such　great　and　valiant　persons；　wherefore　the　truth　must　be　tried　out　by　the　racke；　and　so　wee　shall　learne　what　other　companions　he　hath；　and　root　out　the　nest　of　these　mischievous　murtherers。　　And　there　was　no　long　delay；　but　according　to　the　custome　of　Grecia；　the　fire；　the　wheele；　and　many　other　torments　were　brought　in。　　Then　my　sorrow　encreased　or　rather　doubled；　in　that　I　could　not　end　my　life　with　whole　and　unperished　members。　　And　by　and　by　the　old　woman；　who　troubled　all　the　Court　with　her　howling；　desired　the　Judges；　that　before　I　should　be　tormented　on　the　racke；　I　might　uncover　the　bodies　which　I　had　slaine；　that　every　man　might　see　their　comely　shape　and　youthfull　beauty；　and　that　I　might　receive　condign　and　worthy　punishment；　according　to　the　quality　of　my　offence　：　and　therewithall　shee　made　a　sign　of　joy。　　Then　the　Judge　commanded　me　forthwith　to　discover　the　bodies　of　the　slain；　lying　upon　the　beere；　with　myne　own　handes；　but　when　I　refused　a　good　space；　by　reason　I　would　not　make　my　fact　apparent　to　the　eies　of　all　men；　the　Sergeant　charged　me　by　commandement　of　the　Judges；　and　thrust　me　forward　to　do　the　same。　　I　being　then　forced　by　necessity；　though　it　were　against　my　wil；　uncovered　the　bodies　：　but　O　good　Lord　　what　a　strange　sight　did　I　see；　what　a　monster？　What　sudden　change　of　all　my　sorrows？　　I　seem