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 ridinge into Thessalie, fortuned to fall into companie with twoo straungers, that reasoned toge∣ther of the mighty power of Witches.

cap. 1.

AS I fortuned to take my voiage into Thessalie,* 1.1 about certaine affaires whiche I had to doo (for there mine auncestrie by my mothers side inha∣biteth, descended of the ligne of that moste excellent person Plutarche, & of Sextus the philosopher his Ne∣phew, whiche is to vs a great woorshippe and honour:* 1.2 And after that by much trauell aud great paine, I had passed ouer the high mountaines and slipperie valleis, and had ridden thorough the cloggy fallowed fieldes, perceiuinge that my horse did waxe somewhat slowe, & to the intent likewise, I might repose and strengthen my selfe, (beinge wery with ridinge) I lighted of my horse, and wipinge away the sweate from euery parte of his bodie, I vnbridled him, and walked him softly in my hande, to the ende he might pisse, and ease him selfe of his werines, and trauell: And while he wente gra∣singe freshly in the fielde (castinge his head sometimes aside as a token of reioysing and gladnes) I perceiued a litle before me twoo compaignions ridinge, & so I o∣uertakinge them made the third: And while I listened to heare their communicatiō, the one of them laughed and mocked his fellow: saiyng, leaue of I pray thée and speake no more, for I cannot abide to heare thee tell

such absurde & incredible lies: Which when I heard, I desired to heare some newes, and said: I pray you Mai∣sters make me partaker of your talke, that am not so curious, as desirous to know all your communication: So shall we shorten our iourney, and easely passe this high hill before vs, by merry and pleasant talke: but he that laughed before at his felowe, said againe: verely this tale is as true, as if a man would say, that by Sor∣cerie and inchauntment the floodes might be enforced to run against their course:* 1.3 the seas to be immoueable: the ayre to lacke the blowinge of windes: the Sunne to be restrained from his naturall race: the Moone to purge his skumme vpon hearbes and trées, to serue for sorceries: the Starres to be pulled from heauen, the day to be darkened, and the darke night to continew still. Then I, beinge more desirouse to heare his talke then his companions, said: I pray you, that beganne to tell your tale euen now, leaue not of so, but tell the re∣side we. And turning to the other, I saide: You perhaps that are of an obstinate minde and grosse eares, mocke and contemne those thinges whiche are reported for truth, know you not, that it is accoūted vntrew by the praue opinion of men, which either is rarely séene, sel∣dome heard, or that passeth the capacitie of mans rea∣son, whiche if it be more narrowly skanned, you shalt not onely finde it euident & plaine, but also very easie to be brought to passe.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A countrey where are many Inchanteresses and Witches.
• * 1.2

  The vertue of parentes makes the children ho∣nored.
• * 1.3

  VVitches in old time weare sup¦posed to be of such power that they coulde pull downe the Moone by their inchauntment.