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d　held　against　them。　　And　they　said；　〃Except　thou　come　thyself　to　our　succour；　gone　is　all　hope！　　and　lost　is　all　the　reverence　of　the　gods。　Thou　only　art　left　to　be　our　comfort　in　this　misfortune；　and　upon　thee　we　fix　our　hopes。〃

So　forth　marched　Theudas；　in　company　with　his　Satanic　host；　and　he　armed　himself　against　the　truth；　invoking　many　of　his　evil　spirits；　who　knew　how　to　lend　ready　aid　for　evil　ends；　and　whom　he　alway　used　for　his　ministers；　and　with　these　allies　he　came　to　the　king。　　When　his　arrival　had　been　announced　to　the　king；　and　he　had　entered　in；　with　a　palm…staff　in　his　hand　and　a　sheep…skin　girt　about　his　loins；　the　king　arose　from　his　throne；　and　met　and　welcomed　him；　and；　fetching　a　seat；　he　made　him　to　sit　down　beside　him。　　Then　spake　Theudas　unto　the　king；　〃O　king；　live　for　ever　under　the　shelter　of　the　favour　of　the　most　puissant　gods！　　I　have　heard　that　thou　hast　foughten　a　mighty　fight　with　the　Galileans；　and　hast　been　crowned　with　right　glorious　diadems　of　victory。　　Wherefore　I　am　come；　that　we　may　celebrate　together　a　feast　of　thanksgiving；　and　sacrifice　to　the　immortal　gods　young　men　in　the　bloom　of　youth　and　well…favoured　damsels；　and　eke　offer　them　an　hecatomb　of　bullocks　and　herds　of　beasts；　that　we　may　have　them　from　henceforth　for　our　allies　invincible；　making　plain　our　path　of　life　before　us。〃

Hereto　the　king　made　answer；　〃We　have　not　conquered；　aged　sir；　we　have　not　conquered：　nay；　rather　have　we　been　defeated　in　open　fight。　　They　that　were　for　us　turned　suddenly　against　us。　　They　found　our　host　a　wild；　half…drunken；　feeble　folk；　and　utterly　overthrew　it。　　But　now；　if　there　be　with　thee　any　power　and　strength　to　help　our　fallen　religion　and　set　it　up　again；　declare　it。〃

Theudas　replied　in　this　wise；　〃Dread　not；　O　king；　the　oppositions　and　vain　babblings　of　the　Galileans：　for　of　what　worth　against　reasonable　and　sensible　men　are　the　arguments　that　they　use？　These　methinks　shall　be　more　easily　overthrown　than　a　leaf　shaken　with　the　wind。　　They　shall　not　endure　to　face　me；　far　less　join　argument；　or　come　to　propositions　and　oppositions　with　me。　　But；　in　order　that　the　coming　contest　and　all　our　wishes　may　prosper；　and　that　our　matters　may　run　smoothly　with　the　stream；　adorn　thou　with　thy　presence　this　public　festival；　and　gird　on　for　thy　strong　sword　the　favour　of　the　gods；　and　well　befall　thee！〃

When　the　mighty　in　wickedness　had　thus　boasted　himself　and　thought　of　mischief　all　the　day　long　（let　David　bear　his　part　in　our　chorus）；　and　when；　as　saith　Esay；　he　had　given　his　neighbour　a　drink　of　turbid　dregs；　by　the　help　of　the　evil　spirits　his　comrades　he　made　the　king　utterly　to　forget　the　thoughts　that　inclined　him　to　salvation；　and　caused　him　again　to　cleave　to　his　wonted　ways。　　Then　the　king　despatched　letters　hither　and　thither；　that　all　men　should　gather　together　to　this　loathsome　assembly。　　Then　mightest　thou　have　seen　multitudes　streaming　in；　and　bringing　with　them　sheep　and　oxen　and　divers　kinds　of　beasts。

So　when　all　were　assembled；　the　king　arose；　with　that　deceiver　Theudas；　and　proceeded　to　the　temple；　bringing　one　hundred　and　twenty　bullocks　and　many　animals　for　sacrifice。　　And　they　celebrated　their　accursed　feast　till　the　city　resounded　with　the　cry　of　the　brute　beasts　and　the　very　air　was　polluted　with　the　reek　of　sacrifice。　　This　done；　when　the　spirits　of　wickedness　had　greatly　vaunted　them　over　Theudas'　victory；　and　when　the　temple…　keepers　had　rendered　him　thanks；　the　king　went　up　again　unto　his　palace；　and　said　milo　Theudas；　〃Behold　now；　as　thou　badest　us；　we　have　spared　no　pains　over　the　splendour　of　this　gathering　and　the　lavishness　of　the　sacrifice。　　Now；　therefore；　it　is　time　for　thee　to　fulfil　thy　promises；　and　to　deliver　from　the　error　of　the　Christians　my　son　that　hath　rebelled　against　our　religion；　and　to　reconcile　him　to　our　gracious　gods。　　For；　though　I　have　left　no　device　and　deed　untried；　yet　have　I　found　no　remedy　for　the　mischief；　but　I　perceive　that　his　will　is　stronger　than　all。　　When　I　have　dealt　gently　and　kindly　with　him；　I　have　found　that　he　payeth　me　no　regard　whatsoever。　　When　I　have　treated　him　harshly　and　severely；　I　have　seen　him　driven　the　quicker　to　desperation。　　To　thy　wisdom　for　the　future　I　leave　the　care　of　this　calamity　that　hath　befallen　me。　　If　then　I　be　delivered　from　this　trouble　by　thy　means；　and　once　more　behold　my　son　worshipping　my　gods　with　me；　and　enjoying　the　gratification　of　this　life　of　pleasure；　and　this　royal　estate；　I　will　set　up　unto　thee　a　golden　statue；　and　make　thee　to　receive　divine　honours　from　all　men　for　all　time　to　come。〃

Hereupon　Theudas；　bowing　an　attentive　ear　to　the　evil　one；　and　learning　from　him　the　secret　of　his　evil　and　deadly　counsel；　became　himself　the　devil's　tongue　and　mouthpiece；　and　spake　unto　the　king；　〃If　thou　wilt　get　the　better　of　thy　son；　and　make　his　opposition　vain；　I　have　discovered　a　plan；　which　he　shall　in　no　wise　be　able　to　resist；　but　his　hard　and　obdurate　mind　shall　melt　quicker　than　wax　before　the　hottest　fire。〃　　The　king；　seeing　this　foolish　fellow　swelling　with　empty　pride；　immediately　grew　merry　and　joyful；　hoping　that　the　unbridled　and　boastful　tongue　would　get　the　mastery　of　that　divinely　instructed　and　philosophic　soul。　〃And　what　is　the　plan？〃　he　asked。　　Then　began　Theudas　to　weave　his　web。　　He　made　his　villainy　sharp　as　any　razor　and　did　cunningly　prepare　his　drugs。　　Now　behold　this　malicious　device　and　suggestion　of　the　evil　one。　〃Remove；　O　king；〃　said　he；　〃all　thy　son's　waiting　men　and　servants　far　from　him；　and　order　that　comely　damsels；　of　exceeding　beauty；　and　bedizened　to　be　the　more　winsome；　be　continually　with　him　and　minister　to　him；　and　be　his　companions　day　and　night。　　For　myself；　I　will　send　him　one　of　the　spirits　told　off　for　such　duties；　and　I　will　thus　kindle　all　the　more　fiercely　the　coals　of　sensual　desire。　　After　that　he　hath　once　only　had　intercourse　with　but　one　of　these　women；　if　all　go　not　as　thou　wilt；　then　disdain　me　for　ever；　as　unprofitable；　and　worthy　not　of　honour　but　of　dire　punishment。　　For　there　is　nothing　like　the　sight　of　women　to　allure　and　enchant　the　minds　of　men。　　Listen　to　a　story　that　beareth　witness　to　my　word。〃


XXX。

〃A　certain　king　was　grieved　and　exceeding　sad　at　heart；　because　that　he　had　no　male　issue；　deeming　this　no　small　misfortune。　While　he　was　in　this　condition；　there　was　born　to　him　a　son；　and　the　king's　soul　was　filled　with　joy　thereat。　　Then　they　that　were　learned　amongst　his　physicians　told　him　that；　if　for　the　first　twelve　years　the　boy　saw　the　sun　or　fire；　he　should　entirely　lose　his　sight；　for　this　was　proved　by　the　condition　of　his　eyes。　Hearing　this；　the　king；　they　say；　caused　a　little　house；　full　of　dark　chambers；　to　be　hewn　out　of　the　rock；　and　therein　enclosed　his　child　together　with　the　men　that　nursed　him；　and；　until　the　twelve　years　were　past；　never　suffered　him　to　see　the　least　ray　of　light。　　After　the　fulfilment　of　the　twelve　years；　the　king　brought　forth　from　his　little　house　his　son　that　had　never　seen　a　single　object；　and　ordered　his　waiting　men　to　show　the　boy　everything　after　his　kind；　men　in　one　place；　women　in　another；　elsewhere　gold　and　silver；　in　another　place；　pearls　and　precious　stones；　fine　and　ornamental　vestments；　splendid　chariots　with　horses　from　the　royal　stables；　with　golden　bridles　and　purple　caparisons；　mounted　by　armed　soldiers；　also　droves　of　oxen　and　flocks　of　sheep。　　In　brief；　row　after　row；　they　showed　the　boy　everything。　　Now；　as　he　asked　what　each　ox　these　was　called；　the　king's　esquires　and　guards　made　known　unto　him　each　by　name：　but；　when　he　desired　to　learn　what　women　were　called；　the　king's　spearman；　they　say；　wittily　replied　that　they　were　called；　〃Devils　that　deceive　men。〃　　But　the　boy's　heart　was　smitten　with　the　love　of　these　above　all　the　rest。　　So；　when　they　had　gone　round　everywhere　and　brought　him　again　unto　the　king；　the　king　asked；　which　of　all　these　sights　had　pleased　him　most。　　〃What；〃　answered　the　boy；　〃but　the　Devils　that　deceive　men？　　Nothing　that　I　have　seen　to…day　hath　fired　my　heart　with　such　love　as　these。〃　The　king　was　astonished　at　the　saying　of　the　boy；　to　think　how　masterful　a　thing　the　love　of　women　is。　　Therefore　think　not　to　subdue　thy　son　in　any　other　way　than　this。〃

The　king　heard　this　tale　gladly；　and　there　were　brought　before　him　some　chosen　damsels；　young　and　exceeding　beautiful。　　These　he　bedizened　with　dazzling　ornaments　and　trained　in　all　winsome　ways：　and　then　he　turned　out　of　the　palace　all　his　son's　squires　and　serving　men；　and　set　these　women　in　their　stead。　　These　flocked　around　the　prince；　embraced　him；　and　provoked　him　to　filthy　wantonness；　by　their　walk　and　talk　inviting　him　to　dalliaunce。　　Besides　these；　he　had　no　man　at　whom　to　look；　or　with　whom　to　converse　or　break　his　fast；　for　these　damsels　were　his　all。　　Thus　did　the　king。　　But　Theudas　went　home　to　his　evil　den；　and；　dipping　into　his　books　that　had　virtue　to　work　such　magic；　he　called　up　one　of　his　wicked　spirits　and　sent　him　forth；　for　to　battle　with　the　soldier　of　the　army　of　Christ。　　But　the　wretch　little　knew　what　laughter　he　should　create　against　himself；　and　to　what　shame　he　should　be　put；　with　the　whole　devilish　troop　under　him。　　So　the　evil　spirit；　taking　to　him　other