the golden asse-第48章

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　trusty　friends　：　But　although　hee　brought　this　to　passe　very　secretly　and　sagely；　yet　in　the　end　cruell　fortune　sowed　great　sedition　in　his　house。　　For　his　wife　who　was　now　condemned　to　beasts；　waxed　jealous　of　her　husband　and　began　to　suspect　the　young　woman　as　a　harlot　and　common　queane；　insomuch　that　shee　invented　all　manner　of　meanes　to　dispatch　her　out　of　the　way。　　And　in　the　end　shee　invented　this　kind　of　mischiefe　：　She　privily　stale　away　her　husbands　ring；　and　went　into　the　country；　whereas　she　commanded　one　of　her　trusty　servants　to　take　the　ring　and　carry　it　to　the　mayden。　　To　whom　he　should　declare　that　her　brother　did　pray　her　to　come　into　the　country　to　him；　and　that　she　should　come　alone　without　any　person。　　And　to　the　end　shee　should　not　delay　but　come　with　all　speed　he　should　deliver　her　the　ring；　which　should　be　a　sufficient　testimony　of　the　message。　　This　mayden　as　soone　as　she　had　received　the　ring　of　her　brother；　being　very　willing　and　desirous　to　obey　his　commandement　：　（For　she　knew　no　otherwise　but　that　he　had　sent　for　her）　went　in　all　hast　as　the　messenger　willed　her　to　doe。　But　when　she　was　come　to　the　snare　and　engine　which　was　prepared　for　her；　the　mischievous　woman；　like　one　that　were　mad；　and　possessed　with　some　ill　spirit；　when　the　poore　maiden　called　for　helpe　with　a　loud　voyce　to　her　brother；　the　wicked　harlot　（weening　that　she　had　invented　and　feined　the　matter）　tooke　a　burning　firebrand　and　thrust　it　into　her　secret　place；　whereby　she　died　miserably。　　The　husband　of　this　maiden　but　especially　her　brother；　advertised　of　her　death；　came　to　the　place　where　she　was　slain；　and　after　great　lamentation　and　weeping；　they　caused　her　to　be　buried　honourably。　　This　yong　man　her　brother　taking　in　ill　part　the　miserable　death　of　his　sister；　as　it　was　convenient　he　should；　conceived　so　great　dolour　within　his　mind　and　was　strucken　with　so　pestilent　fury　of　bitter　anguish；　that　he　fell　into　the　burning　passions　of　a　dangerous　ague；　whereby　he　seemed　in　such　necessity；　that　he　needed　to　have　some　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　yo