¶How Apuleius was cruelly beaten by the mother of the boye that was slaine.
Cap 31.
IN the meane season while the parentes of the boye did lament and wéepe, for the death of their sonne. The shéepeherd (according to his promise) came with his instrumentes and tooles to gelde me, then one of them said: Tushe we litle estéeme the mischief which he did yesterday, but now we are contēted that to morow his stones shal not onely be cut of,* 1.1 but also his head. So was it brought to passe that my death was delaide till the next morowe: but what thankes did I giue to that good boie, who (being so slaine) was the cause of my par∣don for one shorte day: Howbeit I had no time then to rest my self, for the mother of the boye wéeping and la∣menting for his death, attyred in mourninge vesture, tare her heare, and beate her brest, and came presently into the stable, sayinge: Is it reason that this carelesse beast should doo nothinge all day but holde his head in the manger, filling and bolling his guttes with meate without cōpassion of my great miserie, or remēbraunce of the pitifull death of his slayne maister: and contem∣ninge my age and infirmitie, thinketh that I am vna∣ble to reuenge his mischiefes: moreouer he would per∣swade me that he were not culpable, in déede it is a cō∣uenient thinge to looke and pleade for safetie, when as the conscience doth confesse the offence, as théeues and malefactors accustome to doo: but O good Lord y• cursed