The. xi. bookes of the Golden asse conteininge the Metamorphosie of Lucius Apuleius, enterlaced with sondrie pleasaunt and delectable tales, with an excellent narration of the mariage of Cupide and Psiches, set out in the. iiii. v. and vj. bookes. Translated out of Latine into Englishe by VVilliam Adlington.

¶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, 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

beast if thou couldest vtter the cōtentes of thine owne minde whome (though he were the veriest foole in all the worlde) mightest thou perswade that this murder was voide or without thy faulte, when as it lay in thy power either to kéepe of the théeues with thy héeles or else to bite and teare them with thy téeth. Couldest not thou (that so oftē in his life time diddest spurne & kicke him) defende him nowe at the pointe of death by like meane? yet at least thou shouldest haue taken him vpō thy backe, and so brought him from the cruel handes of théeues, where contrary thou rannest away alone for∣sakinge thy good maister, thy pastor, and conductor. Knowest y^• not that such as denie their holesome helpe and ayde to them which lie in daunger of death, ought to be punished because they haue offended against good manners and the law naturall, but I promise thée thou shalt not longe reioyse at my harmes: thou shalt féele y^• smart of thy homicide and offence, I wil sée what I can doo, and there withall she vnlosed her apron, and boūde all my féete together, to the ende I might not helpe my selfe, then she toke a great barre whiche accustomed to barre the stable doore, and neuer ceased beatinge of me till she was so weary y^• the barre fell out of her hādes, whereupon she (complayninge of the soone faintnes of her armes) ranne to her fire and brought a fier brande and thrust it vnder my taile, burninge me continually till such time as (hauing but one remedie) I all arrayed her face and eies with my dirtie donge, whereby (what with the stinke therof, and what with the filthines that fell in her eyes) she was welnie blinde, so I enforced the queane to leaue of, otherwise I had died as Melea∣ger did by the sticke, whiche his madde mother Althea cast into the fire.

Notes

• Apuleius gel∣dinge was de∣laide.
• A foolish wo∣man to laye the fault to a bruite beast.