Of the Asse. 6.

BVt behold the Asse approaching, who commeth Gar∣landed with glorie, and with a palme, in signe of victo∣rie, obtained by his Noblenesse and perfections. Wherein he hath very much outgone the Dogge, the Horsse, the Ly∣on, the Ape, the Elephant, and whatsoeuer other beast ye can deuise to name, not onely by his head, and the o∣ther partes of his bodie, but in excellencie of minde, Page  [unnumbered] which (to speake truth) is plainly manifested, and is much more honorable then the bodie, that but serues and obeyes in the emperie of the minde.

Simplicitie is so naturally propper and giuen to the Asse,* as in one or other kinde of meate, he contends not, or makes any difference at all. Let him come into a Gardain, sooner falles he to feeding on bryers and thistles, then on good lettice, or other rootes.

In life (beyond all other beasts in the world) is he most sparing,* suffising himselfe with any little foode. And so long time will he endure hunger and thirst, as it is thought he rather eateth to liue, then liueth to eate.

To his other noble qualities, this of patience may well be adioyned, patiently enduring all kinde of labor; with∣out any alteration, without chaunge of place, without kic∣king against, or making signe of any dislike at all. At con∣tinuall strokes, he standeth stedfastly, he weigheth not the woundes that comes by sterne stripes, or the gréeuous blowes that teares his flesh to the bares bones: but wil∣lingly applieth himselfe alwaies to his maisters seruice.

He refuseth no burthen,* he goes whither hee is sent, without any contradiction. He lifts not his foote against any one, he bytes not, he is no fugitiue, nor maliciously af∣fected. He doth all things in good sort, and to his liking that hath cause to imploy him. If strokes bee giuen him, he cares not for them: and as our moderns Poeth singeth;

He ioyeth in peace, and takes such déepe delight there∣in,* as ye can finde no one beast with whom he would wil∣lingly meddle. For we sée he stands peaceably conuersing with them, yea, so kindly and louingly, as all beasts are ac∣counted Page  [unnumbered] brutish to him, in regard of carnall brotherhood, notwithstanding they are of so many diuers kindes. He will not defend his owne part of prouender layde before him, as we sée all other beasts do, nor offers he to exclude any, that puts head with him in the maunger, not only is he content curteously to let him haue part, but to expresse more greatnesse of mind, many times he withdrawes him selfe, most liberally leauing all the foode to other, though himselfe were oppressed with neuer so great hunger.

Nor néedes his maister prouide varietie of meate for him, because

Not only in eating (as we haue said) is he modest,* be∣ing contented with allowance of simplest meat: but likewise he is most manerly in drinking, which was very well noted by our Poet, when he said;

Columella affirmeth,* that there is no beast, whereof a men hath more need, then of the Asse. He breakes the earth with the plough, draweth great burthens for the mill, the bakehouse, and carrieth corne from place to place, so that his labour is beyond all other. There is no Towne, no house, and lastly no place, that can imploy a more necessary beast then the Asse is.

Commodiously with necke,* shoulders, and all his whole bodie, can he draw, beare, and carry vp & downe, all kindes of graine, and all things necessary for the vse of man: so is Page  [unnumbered] there no other beast that can do it, or is so apt for it.

The Horsse, Mule, and Oxe, are apt to draw and beare great lading: yet enter they not the house, or if they be brought in, it is forcibly by stripes, or such like prouo∣king. But the Asse, verie mildely, or rather familiarly, yea, at a nod or becke only, goes euery where at his mai∣sters pleasure. Into by-places, lodgings, halles, chambers, vp the staires into Grayneries, carrying thither all things beséeming each place: ascending and descending very per∣fectly, being not troubled with the impediment of hornes, as the Oxe is, nor headstrong, or vntoward to driue, as the Horsse and Mule are.

His maister is not molested with thought or griefe, to make his prouision for all the yeare, as ye sée what care is had for all other beasts: because (as hath bene alreadie de∣clared) he giues himselfe tr all sorts of meates.

By the way as he goes (although he be loaden) hée takes his féeding, and let him come into what place soe∣uer, he will catch a bit, if commodiously he may. When it so falles out, that he happens to stand two or three dayes without meate, he is not therefore offended with his mai∣ster, nor makes any murmure there at by his voyce. Hée makes no signe of chusing his meate, by any kinde of te∣sture; as the horsse doth by often neighing and stamping with his féet, if prouender be not brought him at time con∣uenient. But the Asse, whether he féede or fast, still goes to beare his ordinary burthens.

We know that all kindes of beasts were created by God, for the seruice of man: but what beast can ye finde, Page  [unnumbered] wherewith man may more be serued, then the Asse? He, beside all the commodities whereof alreadie we haue spo∣ken, yet necessary for man: suffer the bridle to be put in his mouth, carries the saddle, and endures all other kinde of harnesse for horsemanship, greatly reioycing therein; whereby our Poet procéeding in his praise, saith:

When hée is on the way adorned with his maister on his backe, not a little doth he delight him with his swéete trot, and so paceth lightly on, without any wearinesse to his ryder.

Mooued (as I imagined) by these and other his honou∣rable quallities, nature our most louing mother giue him a priuiledge, whereof he only might vaunt aboue all other creatures in the world. And this it is, that he is neuer mo∣lested with any of this hated small vermine, which we call Lice: and this very elegantly was noted by our Poet Prae∣libato, when of his gifts and praises, thus he sung.

An other priuiledge is sollumne to himselfe, and na∣ture most bounteously hath bestowed it on him: which is (as Plinie faithfully reporteth) that the hearbe vulgarely called Ferula, sodeinly killeth all other beasts that eates thereof, except the Asse, who thereon •eedes boldly, with∣out any dread of harme.

Page  [unnumbered] Beside this, he hath no gall within him, as by Anato∣mie hard euidently appeared: a proofe sufficient inough, without calling Aristotle to witnesse, who confesseth the same in his fourth booke of the parts of beasts.

Therefore it is not to be meruailed at, that so brother∣like he goeth with all beasts, and trauelleth with man so quietly: which likewise was regarded by the same Poet, when he said:

Such as delight themselues in ryding on the Asse, séem to haue no common or vulgare iudgement, because they make choyse of the very noblest beast, that euer was pro∣duced by nature. Wherfore it is not to be thought strange, why our Poet exhorteth to ryde on him, saying:

Afterward, to honor the Asse the more, thus he procée∣deth.

Page  [unnumbered] The same Poet, to confirme how pleasing the delight of ryding on the Asse is, declares in a fewe verses, a little merrie storie, in this maner.

That the Asse is a beast, as apt to be taught as the E∣lephant, and goes very farre beyond him, though daily ex∣perience shewes vs much, yet shall it not be offensiue for me to recount an Asse-fauouring historie, which maister Iohn Lyon, a most diligent and faithfull Cosmographer of Affrica, noteth in the eight part of his great volumme, where describing what notable things are found in Affri∣ca, he discourseth on matters concerning the great Cittie of Cayro, and (among other) speaketh thus as followeth.

Hither were brought many pleasant iestes, especial∣ly such as teach Cammels, Asses and Dogges to daunce, a sight very pleasing to behold, chiefly in the Asse: for at a certaine time, one of these Iesters, when his Asse had dan∣ced a while, speaking to him, said in this maner:

The Soldane meanes to erect a goodly building, wher∣fore he shall néede to imploy all the Asses in Cayro, for car∣riage of lime, stone, and other necessary things. At these words, the Asse sodeinly fell to the grounde, turning his Page  [unnumbered] héeles vp toward heauen, his belly swollen, and his eyes closed, euen in such sort as if he had bene dead. Then fell the man to many lamentable circumstances, how he had lost his Asse, and entreated the by standers, that they wold helpe to requite him with another, and therefore to make some gathering among them: yet they saide, they did not imagine his Asse to be dead, albeit he stirred not, but knew his counterfeit drift was, to get himselfe some money and prouender for his beast. Then they turned to the Asse, bid∣ding him to arise: but he stirred not, although they labou∣red him with many stripes, and could not get to rise by all their endeuour: then the man pursuing his former prac∣tise, said to the standers by;

Gentlemen, I giue ye all to vnderstand, how the Sol∣dane hath caused to be published by sound of Trompet, that to morrow all the people in Cayro must goe forth to sée his tryumph: commaunding all the faire gentlewomen in the Cittie, to be mounted on goodly Asses, afterward, the beasts shall eate good barley, and drinke the pure water of Nylus. No sooner had the Iester spoken these words, but the Asse leapt vp on his féet, and brauely shewed signs of excéeding contentment: whereon the Iester thus began againe.

I heare it for credible, that a certaine peazant of the Countrey where I was borne, hath euen now made a re∣quest to me, that this faire Asse of mine, might serue his foule ill fauoured wife to ryde on. The Asse, at these spée∣ches, (as if he had humane vnderstanding) laid downe his cares flat, and beganne to goe about halting, feyning as if he had bene starke lame. Then said the Iester; doth yoong and faire women please thée? Heereat the Asse merely lifted vp his head, euen as if he had replied, that they did.

His maister procéeding said; Here are many both yoong and faire: shewe me which of them best liketh thée. The Page  [unnumbered] Asse running to make search, where diuers women stood to behold him, and making choyse of the verie fairest and most honourable, to her he went, and touched her with his head. Then all the standers by cried with a loude voyce: Behold the Ladie of the Asse, as making a merie iest of the matter. And the man mounting on his Asse, rode to shewe his quallities else where.

But what greater example of an Asses instruction can we alleadge, then that which Ammonius Alexandrinus, a Philosopher of no meane estéeme, affirmeth? to wit, that he had an Asse was his scholler, and came ordinarily to hear his readings. This meruell moued our Poet to sing:

But whither wander I, to gather matter of his praise in this print? when it might suffise me only to speake of him, that which followeth in our Poets Canto, that is:

How wise and well aduised (beside all this) the Asse appeares to be, I think there is not any man in the world but remembers & knows it wel inough: because he wil ne∣uer return any way, where he hath once stumbled or falne. Page  [unnumbered] And although he may be enforced thereto by his maisters stripes, yet he hath a very respectiue care of his stepping his foote in the former place of offence: as with great wit our Poet noteth the same, saying;

We cannot deny, but that the Asse serueth as a spec∣tacle, and most singuler example of patience, because it is a vsuall thing for fathers, mothers, and such like, simply to aduise their children or friendes, that in affaires of this world, they should séeme to haue the backe of an Asse: mea∣ning, that it behoues them (in all things) to arme them∣selues with patience.

Should we spare to speake of his constancie, wherwith how much he is endued, the Asse which was so displeased with them of Padua, doth very well declare. For they ha∣uing drawne into the Cittie, the water of * Bacchiglione, where first of all the Asse vsed ordinarily to drinke: so out∣ragiously did he shew himselfe offended at this water min∣gling, as it is impossible euer after to make him drinke of that water. And herehence grew the Prouerbe: All Pa∣dua had not the power to make the Asse drinke, by reason he perseuered most constantly in his honourable resoluti∣on. In regard whereof, if we would giue him that due, which we owe as a debt.

Page  [unnumbered] But to kéep nothing from him that is reputed of worth, yet hold him still in estéeme, and render him such honour as is conuenient for him: let it suffise vs, before we offer in ought to despise him, that first we call to memorie, that through contemning and reprouing the Asse, some notable daunger hath ensued: yea, matter of death.

Who knowes not what happened to great King My∣das, because he offered wrong to the Asse? Let them looke on his picture, and they shall sée his eares shaped like to the Asses. And therefore very wisely our Poet wrote of him, saying.

But let vs speake of some, who by the meanes of such wrongs offered, haue brought themselues to the extrée∣mest point of death.

There are now certaine yeares past, since I being in Zara, a citie of Sclauonia, I sawe one led to the gallowes to be executed, whose name was Iiacomo Schiffalasino, who being first brought to prison among other malefac∣tors, and by the discréet Iudge appointed to the torture, be∣cause he should confesse wherein they had offended, (he not hauing any detection wherewith to charge them, or that was sufficient to touch them as they should be.) But first he beganne to consider on the sirname of Schiffalasino, and approuing that sir-name for a sufficient detection, terrified him thereby so strictly, and in such sort, as the poore man confessed the faults, which both he and his companions had committed. Whereupon, he caused him with the rest, to be hanged by the neckes, and (as the common prouerbe is) sent them to shake their héeles against the winde.

If this example may not be thought sufficient, let vs Page  [unnumbered] then call to mind the death of Philemon the Philosopher, who tooke offence at one of his Asses, that in token of a sin∣gular or magnificent minde, put forth himselfe to eate of preserued figges, which were serued in to the Table for his maister. Hereat he fell into such extremitie of laugh∣ter or derision, that there sodeinly he died; as our Poet ve∣rie excellently singing, affirmeth,

But if contrariwise we would consider, what good and happie successe hath ensued, such encounters wherein the Asse hath receiued no iniurie, we might the more easily resolue to honor and hold them in such estéeme, as fortu∣nate diuining auguries haue deserued to be. And whosoe∣uer hath made diligent obseruation of them, shall finde they haue saued the liues of many, yea in doubtfull bat∣tailes and most bloodie fights, they shewed before hand as∣sured victorie.

What saued the life of great Caius Marius, who had bene Consull six times, but only an Asse? whose iestures be diligently obseruing, when by the Minturnes he was committed prisoner to Fauuias house: where he noted how swiftly he rusht out of doore, and ranne to drinke at the née∣rest fountaine.

He then aduising on this progresse of the Asse, sayd: That the Goddes had sent this beast before hand, to signi∣fie, that by his sodeine running to the •ountaine, he should receiue thereby most certaine augurie, that there was no other meane left for him to escape with life, then by wa∣ter. Whereupon, (hauing gotten forth of the aforesaid pri∣son) he went and imbarqued himselfe at the next port, and fled into Affrica, where he saued himselfe.

Vincentio Cartari, in his booke of Images of the aun∣cient Gods, saith, that the Ambraciotti and Sicioni, people of Greece, being in warre togither, an ambush was laide Page  [unnumbered] in a wood, to intrap them that were to issue forth of the Ci∣tie. At the same time it happened, that a man driuing his Asse toward the Citie, with certaine lading on his backe, his beast (by chance) sented a shée Asse going before, which made him follow after, braying so loud as possibly he could. And pacing on faster then his maister would willingly he should, both the Asses (at length) began to bray togither, each beast answering the other, falling and rising with their voyces, in such straunge and confused noyse, that the Sicioni (terrified with the murmure) were glad to be gone from where they laie hid, and so betooke themselues to flight. The Ambraciotti being aduertised thereof, pursued and ouerthrew them.

Afterward they made a goodly Asse of mettall, which they sent to be offred at Delphos, in the Temple of Apol∣lo, for a memorie of their good fortune by the Asse: and which they perswaded themselues had not else happened to them, but only by that singular beast.

Higinus the Historian, recordeth, that when the Goddes Bacchus and Vulcan fought with the Giants, they entred the battaile mounted on Asses.

We read likewise in Hedorotus, the father of the Gre∣cian historie, that Darius going to warre against the Sci∣thians, led with him a great nomber of Asses, that only by their noyse and braying, made all the enemies horses take them to their héeles. Afterwards the Scithians comming to assault Persia, their horses were againe so affrighted with the dreadfull voyce of Asses, as they fled, and could not be enforced to abide.

Our Poet, by these and such like effects, being earnest∣ly sollicited, very elegantly singeth in this maner.

Beholde then, whether wee haue good cause or no, to holde the Asse in all estimation: yet in these vnthankfull Page  [unnumbered] dayes of ours, we sée him folde for a most base, or rather a vile price: albeit in elder ages he was of dearer value then euer was any other beast in the world.

Marcus Varro rehearseth, that in his time an Asse was solde for seuentie Sestertiaes: which according to Budeus and other Computists, amounteth to the summe of a thou∣sand and fiue hundred crownes. Moreouer he addeth here∣to, that he sawe foure Asies rated at foure hundred Sester∣tiaes.

Plinie testifieth, that an Asse was sold for a very great number of Crownes, albeit the certaine summe I doo not now readily remember, but any one may reade it truly set downe, in the seuenth booke of his naturall historie.

Lampridius telleth vs, that Heliogabalus the Empe∣rour, when he would bestow a magnificent gift on the peo∣ple of Rome, vsed to giue them certaine Asses: meaning, that a speciall and rare estimation consisted therein, be∣cause indéed it was the gift of an Emperour.

Marcus Polus, in the first booke of his voyage to the great Cane of Cathaia, the eleuenth Chapter, where he speaketh of the Persian kingdome, saith; In this king∣dome are there likewise Asses, the very fairest and grea∣test that are in the world, which are wont to be sooner sold then horses. And the reason is, because they eate lesse, and beare greater burthens: beside, they dispatch more myles in a day, then the Horses or Mules are able to do, nor can they endure so much labour as the Asses will.

Wherefore the Merchants of those parts going from one Prouince to another, passe through great desarts and sandie places, where growes 〈◊〉 hearbes or grasse at all: and by reason of the great distance of wells and swéete wa∣ter, they make their dayes iourney the longer, wherefore the more gladly they vse these Asses, because they are swif∣ter, runne better, and serues them with very small expen∣ces. They vse Camells like wise, who beare great lading, Page  [unnumbered] and are not chargeable: but yet they are not so swift as their Asses.

But let vs admit that the Asse had not these vertues, nor that there were founde in him any of the quallities whereon we haue discoursed: yet can we not deny, but he hath one only gift, which in Nobilitie & perfection, makes him alone to surpasse any other kinde of beast whatsoeuer (I meane those vnreasonable) that euer nature brought foorth. For the neuer meant to produce the kindes of he or shée Mules, whereas the Asse is the only cause they are engendred, and maintains them in the world, to the great commoditie of man, as daily experience sufficiently testi∣fies. Wherefore our Poet thus sings thereof.

But because I would drawe to an ende, I conclude, that of his honorable qualities, worthie all commendati∣on, I haue not as yet declared the least particuler: by rea∣son they are such and so great, that whosoeuer would col∣lect them all togither, may as easily conuey all the water of the sea into a little glasse, or contend with a thing that of it selfe is infinite.

Yet will I not so giue ouer, but adioyne to the ende of this first part, that which our Part firmely beléeued of the Asse, when he said,

In conclusion, for whatsoeuer either hath bene or may be said, the nature of the Asse is good, pleasing, humble and Page  [unnumbered] curteous: which foure rare quallities, are farre contrary to the theft, pride, vnrulinesse and villany of other beasts.