man, by one of Bodin's witches: S. Augustine's opinion thereof." (See p.
30.)
It happened in the city of Salamin in the kingdom of Cyprus, where there is
a good haven, that a ship loaden with merchandise stayed there for a short
space. In the meantime many of the soldiers and mariners went to shore, to
provide fresh victuals; among which number a certain Englishman, being a
sturdy young fellow, went to a woman's house, a little way out of the city,
and not far from the sea-side, to see whether she had any eggs to sell.
Who, perceiving him to be a lusty young fellow, a stranger, and far from
his country (so as, upon the loss of him, there would be the less miss or
enquiry), she considered with herself how to destroy him; and willed him to
stay there awhile, whilst she went to fetch a few eggs for him. But she
tarried long, so as the young man called unto her desiring her to make
haste; for he told her that the tide would be spent, and by that means his
ship would be gone, and leave him behind. Howbeit, after some detracting of
time, she brought him a few eggs, willing him to return to her, if his ship
were gone when he came.
The young fellow returned towards his ship, but before he went aboard, he
would needs eat an egg or twain to satisfy his hunger; and within short
space he became dumb and out of his wits, as he afterwards said. When he
would have entered into the ship, the mariners beat him back with a cudgel,
saying, "What a murrain lacks the ass? Whither the devil will this ass?"
The ass, or young man--I cannot tell by which name I should term him--being
many times repelled, and understanding their words that called him ass,
considering that he could speak never a word and yet could understand
everybody, he thought that he was bewitched by the woman at whose house he
was. And therefore, when by no means he could get into the boat, but was
driven to tarry and see her departure, being also beaten from place to
place as an ass, he remembered the witch's words, and the words of his own
fellows that called him ass, and returned to the witch's house; in whose
service he remained by the space of three years, doing nothing with his
hands all that while, but carried such burthens as she laid on his back;
having only this comfort, that, although he were reputed an ass among
strangers and beasts, yet that both this witch and all other witches knew
him to be a man.
After three years were passed over, in a morning betimes he went to town
before his dame, who upon some occasion ... stayed a little behind. In the
meantime being near to a church, he heard a little sacring-bell ring to the
elevation of a morrow mass; and not daring to go into the church, lest he
should have been beaten and driven out with cudgels, in great devotion he
fell down in the churchyard upon the knees of his hinder legs, and did lift
his forefeet over his head, as the priest doth hold the sacrament at the
elevation. Which prodigious sight when certain merchants of Genoa espied,
and with wonder beheld, anon cometh the witch with a cudgel in her hand,
beating forth the ass. And because, as it hath been said, such kinds of
witchcrafts are very usual in those parts, the merchants aforesaid made
such means as both the ass and the witch were attached by the judge. And
she, being examined and set upon the rack, confessed the whole matter, and
promised that if she might have liberty to go home, she would restore him
to his old shape; and being dismissed she did accordingly. So as
notwithstanding they apprehended her again, and burned her; and the young
man returned into his country with a joyful and merry heart.