That is to say: The Oxen tied and yoked together, doe till the ground
to the intent it may bring forth his increase: and by these kind of
lottes they deceive many of the simple sort, for if one had demanded
whether he should have a good wife or no, they would say that his lot
did testifie the same, that he should be tyed and yoked to a good woman
and have increase of children. If one demanded whether he should buy
lands and possession, they said that he should have much ground that
should yeeld his increase. If one demanded whether he should have a
good and prosperous voyage, they said he should have good successe, and
it should be for the increase of his profit. If one demanded whether
hee should vanquish his enemies, and prevaile in pursuite of theeves,
they said that this enemy should be tyed and yoked to him: and his
pursuits after theeves should be prosperous. Thus by the telling of
fortunes, they gathered a great quantity of money, but when they were
weary with giving of answers, they drave me away before them next
night, through a lane which was more dangerous and stony then the way
which we went the night before, for on the one side were quagmires and
foggy marshes, on the other side were falling trenches and ditches,
whereby my legges failed me, in such sort that I could scarce come to
the plaine field pathes. And behold by and by a great company of
inhabitants of the towne armed with weapons and on horsebacke overtooke
us, and incontinently arresting Philebus and his Priests, tied them by
the necks and beate them cruelly, calling them theeves and robbers, and
after they had manacled their hands: Shew us (quoth they) the cup of
gold, which (under the colour of your solemne religion) ye have taken
away, and now ye thinke to escape in the night without punishment for
your fact. By and by one came towards me, and thrusting his hand into
the bosome of the goddesse Siria, brought out the cup which they had
stole. Howbeit for all they appeared evident and plaine they would not
be confounded nor abashed, but jesting and laughing out the matter, gan
say: Is it reason masters that you should thus rigorously intreat us,
and threaten for a small trifling cup, which the mother of the Goddesse
determined to give to her sister for a present? Howbeit for all their
lyes and cavellations, they were carryed backe unto the towne, and put
in prison by the Inhabitants, who taking the cup of gold, and the
goddesse which I bare, did put and consecrate them amongst the treasure
of the temple. The next day I was carryed to the market to be sold, and
my price was set at seaven pence more then Philebus gave for me. There
fortuned to passe by a Baker of the next village, who after that he had
bought a great deale of corne, bought me likewise to carry it home, and
when he had well laded me therewith, be drave me through a thorny and
dangerous way to his bake house; there I saw a great company of horses
that went in the mill day and night grinding of corne, but lest I
should be discouraged at the first, my master entertained me well, for
the first day I did nothing but fare daintily, howbeit such mine ease
and felicity did not long endure, for the next day following I was tyed
to the mill betimes in the morning with my face covered, to the end in
turning amid winding so often one way, I should not become giddy, but
keepe a certaine course, but although when I was a man I had seen many
such horsemills and knew well enough how they should be turned, yet
feining my selfe ignorant of such kind of toile, I stood still and
would not goe, whereby I thought I should be taken from the mill as an
Asse unapt, and put to some other light thing, or else to be driven
into the fields to pasture, but my subtility did me small good, for by
and by when the mill stood still, the servants came about me, crying
and beating me forward, in such sort that I could not stay to advise my
selfe, whereby all the company laughed to see so suddaine a change.
When a good part of the day was past, that I was not able to endure any
longer, they tooke off my harnesse, and tied me to the manger, but
although my bones were weary, and that I needed to refresh my selfe
with rest and provender, yet I was so curious that I did greatly
delight to behold the bakers art, insomuch that I could not eate nor
drinke while I looked on.
O good Lord what a sort of poore slaves were there; some had their
skinne blacke and blew, some had their backes striped with lashes, some
were covered with rugged sackes, some had their members onely hidden:
some wore such ragged clouts, that you might perceive all their naked
bodies, some were marked and burned in the heads with hot yrons, some
had their haire halfe clipped, some had lockes of their legges, some
very ugly and evill favoured, that they could scarce see, their eyes
and face were so blacke and dimme with smoake, like those that fight in
the sands, and know not where they strike by reason of dust: And some
had their faces all mealy. But how should I speake of the horses my
companions, how they being old and weake, thrust their heads into the
manger: they had their neckes all wounded and worne away: they rated
their nosethrilles with a continuall cough, their sides were bare with
their harnesse and great travell, their ribs were broken with beating,
their hooves were battered broad with incessant labour, and their
skinne rugged by reason of their lancknesse. When I saw this dreadfull
sight, I began to feare, least I should come to the like state: and
considering with my selfe the good fortune which I was sometime in when
I was a man, I greatly lamented, holding downe my head, and would eate
no meate, but I saw no comfort or consolation of my evill fortune,
saving that my mind was somewhat recreated to heare and understand what
every man said, for they neither feared nor doubted my presence. At
that time I remembred how Homer the divine author of ancient Poetry,
described him to be a wise man, which had travelled divers countries
and nations, wherefore I gave great thanks to my Asse for me, in that
by this meanes I had seene the experience of many things, and was
become more wise (notwithstanding the great misery and labour which I
daily sustained): but I will tell you a pretty jest, which commeth now
to my remembrance, to the intent your eares may be delighted in hearing
the same.