the golden asse-第18章

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ed　letters　as　though　they　came　from　one　Nicanor　which　dwelt　in　the　Country　of　Thracia；　which　was　of　great　acquaintance　with　this　Demochares；　wherein　we　wrote；　that　hee　had　sent　him　being　his　friend；　the　first　fruits　of　his　coursing　and　hunting。　　When　night　was　come；　which　was　a　meet　time　for　our　purpose；　we　brought　Thrasileon　and　our　forged　letters　and　presented　them　to　Demochares。　　When　Demochares　beheld　this　mighty　Beare；　and　saw　the　liberality　of　Nicanor　his　friend；　hee　commanded　his　servants　to　deliver　unto　us　x。　crowns；　having　great　store　in　his　coffers。　　Then　（as　the　novelty　of　a　thing　doth　accustom　to　stir　mens　minds　to　behold　the　same）　many　persons　came　on　every　side　to　see　this　bear　：　but　Thrasileon；　lest　they　should　by　curious　viewing　and　prying　perceive　the　truth；　ran　upon　them　to　put　them　in　feare　that　they　durst　not　come　nigh。　　The　people　said；　Verily　Demochares　is　right　happy；　in　that　after　the　death　of　so　many　beasts；　hee　hath　gotten　maugre　fortunes　head；　so　goodly　a　bear。　　Then　Demochares　commanded　him　with　all　care　to　be　put　in　the　park　with　all　the　other　beasts　：　but　immediately　I　spake　unto　him　and　said；　Sir　I　pray　you　take　heed　how　you　put　a　beast　tired　with　the　heat　of　the　sun　and　with　long　travell；　among　others　which　as　I　hear　say　have　divers　maladies　and　diseases；　let　him　rather　lie　in　some　open　place　in　your　house　nie　some　water；　where　he　may　take　air　and　ease　himself；　for　doe　you　not　know　that　such　kind　of　beasts　do　greatly　delight　to　couch　under　the　shadow　of　trees　and　hillocks　neer　pleasant　wells　and　waters？　　Hereby　Demochares　admonished；　and　remembring　how　many　he　had　before　that　perished；　was　contented　that　we　should　put　the　bear　where　we　would。　　Moreover　we　said　unto　him；　that　we　ourselves　were　determined　to　lie　all　night　neer　the　Bear；　to　look　unto　him；　and　to　give　him　meat　and　drink　at　his　due　houre。

Then　he　answered；　Verily　masters　you　need　not　put　yourselves　to　such　paines；　for　I　have　men　that　serve　for　nothing　but　that　purpose。　So　wee　tooke　leave　of　him　and　departed　：　and　when　we　were　come　without　the　gates　of　the　town；　we　perceived　before　us　a　great　sepulchre　standing　out　of　the　highway　in　a　privy　and　secret　place；　and　thither　we　went　and　opened　the　mouth　thereof；　whereas　we　found　the　sides　covered　with　the　corruption　of　man；　and　the　ashes　and　dust　of　his　long　buried　body；　wherein　we　got　ourselves　to　bring　our　purpose　to　passe；　and　having　respect　to　the　dark　time　of　night；　according　to　our　custome；　when　we　thought　that　every　one　was　asleepe；　we　went　with　our　weapons　and　besieged　the　house　of　Demochares　round　about。　　Then　Thrasileon　was　ready　at　hand；　and　leaped　out　of　the　caverne；　and　went　to　kill　all　such　as　he　found　asleepe　：　but　when　he　came　to　the　Porter；　he　opened　the　gates　and　let　us　in；　and　then　he　shewed　us　a　large　Counter；　wherein　we　saw　the　night　before　a　great　aboundance　of　treasure　：　which　when　by　violence　we　had　broke　open；　I　bid　every　one　of　my　fellows　take　as　much　gold　and　silver　as　they　could　carry　away　：　and　beare　it　to　the　sepulchre；　and　still　as　they　carried　away　I　stood　at　the　gate；　watching　diligently　when　they　would　returne。　　The　Beare　running　about　the　house；　to　make　such　of　the　family　afeared　as　fortuned　to　wake　and　come　out。　　For　who　is　he　that　is　so　puissant　and　couragious；　that　at　the　ougly　sight　of　so　great　a　monster　will　not　quayle　and　keep　his　chamber　especially　in　the　night？　　But　when　wee　had　brought　this　matter　to　so　good　a　point；　there　chanced　a　pittifull　case；　for　as　I　looked　for　my　companions　that　should　come　from　the　sepulchre；　behold　there　was　a　Boy　of　the　house　that　fortuned　to　looke　out　of　a　window；　and　espied　the　Bear　running　about；　and　he　went　and　told　all　the　servants　of　the　house。　Whereupon　incontinently　they　came　forth　with　Torches；　Lanthornes；　and　other　lights；　that　they　might　see　all　the　yard　over　：　they　came　with　clubs；　speares；　naked　swords；　Greyhounds；　and　Mastifes　to　slay　the　poore　beast。　　Then　I　during　this　broyle　thought　to　run　away；　but　because　I　would　see　Thrasileon　fight　with　the　Dogs；　I　lay　behinde　the　gate　to　behold　him。　　And　although　I　might　perceive　that　he　was　well　nigh　dead；　yet　remembred　he　his　owne　faithfulnes　and　ours；　and　valiantly　resisted　the　gaping　and　ravenous　mouths　of　the　hell　hounds；　so　tooke　hee　in　gree　the　pagiant　which　willingly　he　tooke　in　hand　himself；　and　with　much　adoe　tumbled　at　length　out　of　the　house　：　but　when　hee　was　at　liberty　abroad　yet　could　he　not　save　himself；　for　all　the　dogs　of　the　Streete　joyned　themselves　to　the　greyhounds　and　mastifes　of　the　house；　and　came　upon　him。

Alas　what　a　pittifull　sight　it　was　to　see　our　poore　Thrasileon　thus　environed　and　compassed　with　so　many　dogs　that　tare　and　rent　him　miserably。　　Then　I　impatient　of　so　great　a　misery；　ranne　in　among　the　prease　of　people；　and　ayding　him　with　my　words　as　much　as　I　might；　exhorted　them　all　in　this　manner　：　O　great　and　extreame　mischance；　what　a　pretious　and　excellent　beast　have　we　lost。　　But　my　words　did　nothing　prevaile；　for　there　came　out　a　tall　man　with　a　speare　in　his　hand；　that　thrust　him　cleane　through；　and　afterwards　many　that　stood　by　drew　out　their　swords；　and　so　they　killed　him。　But　verily　our　good　Captaine　Thrasileon；　the　honour　of　our　comfort；　received　his　death　so　patiently；　that　he　would　not　bewray　the　league　betweene　us；　either　by　crying；　howling；　or　any　other　meanes；　but　being　torn　with　dogs　and　wounded　with　weapons；　did　yeeld　forth　a　dolefull　cry；　more　like　unto　a　beast　than　a　man。　　And　taking　his　present　fortune　in　good　part；　with　courage　and　glory　enough　did　finish　his　life；　with　such　a　terror　unto　the　assembly；　that　no　person　was　hardy　until　it　was　day；　as　to　touch　him；　though　hee　were　starke　dead　：　but　at　last　there　came　a　Butcher　more　valiant　than　the　rest；　who　opening　the　panch　of　the　beast；　slit　out　an　hardy　and　ventrous　theefe。

In　this　manner　we　lost　our　Captain　Thrasileon；　but　he　left　not　his　fame　and　honour。

When　this　was　done　wee　packed　up　our　treasure；　which　we　committed　to　the　sepulchre　to　keepe；　and　got　out　of　the　bounds　of　Platea；　thus　thinking　with　our　selves；　that　there　was　more　fidelity　amongst　the　dead　than　amongst　the　living；　by　reason　that　our　preyes　were　so　surely　kept　in　the　sepulchre。　　So　being　wearied　with　the　weight　of　our　burthens；　and　well　nigh　tyred　with　long　travell；　having　lost　three　of　our　soldiers；　we　are　come　home　with　these　present　cheats。

Thus　when　they　had　spoken　in　memory　of　their　slaine　companions；　they　tooke　cups　of　gold；　and　sung　hymns　unto　the　god　mars；　and　layd　them　downe　to　sleep。　　Then　the　old　woman　gave　us　fresh　barley　without　measure；　insomuch　that　my　horse　fed　so　abundantly　that　he　might　well　thinke　hee　was　at　some　banquet　that　day。　　But　I　that　was　accustomed　to　eat　bran　and　flower；　thought　that　but　a　sower　kinde　of　meate。　　Wherfore　espying　a　corner　where　lay　loaves　of　bread　for　all　the　house　I　got　me　thither　and　filled　my　hungry　guts　therewith。



THE　TWENTY…FIRST　CHAPTER


How　the　Theeves　stole　away　a　Gentlewoman；　and　brought　her　to　their　den。

When　night　was　come　the　Theeves　awaked　and　rose　up；　and　when　they　had　buckled　on　their　weapons；　and　disguised　their　faces　with　visards；　they　departed。　　And　yet　for　all　the　great　sleep　that　came　upon　me；　I　could　in　no　wise　leave　eating　：　and　whereas　when　I　was　a　man　I　could　be　contented　with　one　or　two　loaves　at　the　most；　now　my　huts　were　so　greedy　that　three　panniers　full　would　scantly　serve　me；　and　while　I　considered　these　things　the　morning　came；　and　being　led　to　a　river；　notwithstanding　my　Assie　shamefastnesse　I　quencht　my　thirst。　　And　suddenly　after；　the　Theeves　returned　home　carefull　and　heavy；　bringing　no　burthens　with　them；　no　not　so　much　as　traffe　or　baggage；　save　only　a　maiden；　that　seemed　by　her　habit　to　be　some　gentlewoman　borne；　and　the　daughter　of　some　worthy　matron　of　that　country；　who　was　so　fair　and　beautiful；　that　though　I　were　an　Asse；　yet　I　had　a　great　affection　for　her。　　The　virgin　lamented　and　tare　her　hair；　and　rent　her　garments；　for　the　great　sorrow　she　was　in；　but　the　theeves　brought　her　within　the　cave；　and　assisted　her　to　comfort　in　this　sort；　Weep　not　fair　gentlewoman　we　pray　you；　for　be　you　assured　we　wil　do　no　outrage　or　violence　to　your　person　：　but　take　patience　a　while　for　our　profit；　f