the golden asse-第17节

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ssured　we　wil　do　no　outrage　or　violence　to　your　person　：　but　take　patience　a　while　for　our　profit；　for　necessity　and　poore　estate　hath　compelled　us　to　do　this　enterprise　：　we　warrant　you　that　your　parents；　although　they　bee　covetous；　will　be　contented　to　give　us　a　great　　quantity　of　mony　to　redeeme　and　ransome　you　from　our　hands。

With　such　and　like　flattering　words　they　endeavoured　to　appease　the　gentlewoman；　howbeit　shee　would　in　no　case　be　comforted；　but　put　her　head　betwixt　her　knees；　and　cried　pittiously。　　Then　they　called　the　old　woman；　and　commaunded　her　to　sit　by　the　maiden；　and　pacify　her　dolor　as　much　as　shee　might。　And　they　departed　away　to　rob；　as　they　were　accustomed　to　doe；　but　the　virgin　would　not　asswage　her　griefes；　nor　mitigate　her　sorrow　by　any　entreaty　of　the　old　woman；　but　howled　and　sobbed　in　such　sort；　that　she　made　me　poore　Asse　likewise　to　weepe；　and　thus　she　said；　Alas　can　I　poore　wench　live　any　longer；　that　am　come　of　so　good　a　house；　forsaken　of　my　parents；　friends；　and　family；　made　a　rapine　and　prey；　closed　servilely　in　this　stony　prison；　deprived　of　all　pleasure；　wherein　I　have　been　brought　up；　thrown　in　danger；　ready　to　be　rent　in　pieces　among　so　many　sturdy　theeves　and　dreadful　robbers；　can　I　（I　say）　cease　from　weeping；　and　live　any　longer？　　Thus　she　cried　and　lamented；　and　after　she　had　wearied　herself　with　sorrow　and　blubbered　her　face　with　teares；　she　closed　the　windowes　of　her　hollow　eyes；　and　laid　her　downe　to　sleepe。　　And　after　that　she　had　slept；　she　rose　again　like　a　furious　and　mad　woman；　and　beat　her　breast　and　comely　face　more　that　she　did　before。

Then　the　old　woman　enquired　the　causes　of　her　new　and　sudden　lamentation。　　To　whom　sighing　in　pittifull　sort　she　answered；　Alas　now　I　am　utterly　undone；　now　am　I　out　of　all　hope；　　O　give　me　a　knife　to　kill　me；　or　a　halter　to　hang　me。　　Whereat　the　old　＇woman＇　was　more　angry；　and　severely　commanded　her　to　tell　her　the　cause　of　her　sorrow；　and　why　after　her　sleep；　she　　should　renew　her　dolour　and　miserable　weeping。　　What；　thinke　you　（quoth　she）　to　deprive　our　young　men　of　the　price　of　your　ransome？　　No；　no　therefore　cease　your　crying；　for　the　Theeves　doe　little　esteeme　your　howling；　and　if　you　do　not；　I　will　surely　burn　you　alive。　　Hereat　the　maiden　was　greatly　feared；　and　kissed　her　hand　and　said；　O　mother　take　pitty　upon　me　and　my　wretched　fortune；　and　give　me　license　a　while　to　speake；　for　I　think　I　shall　not　long　live；　let　there　be　mercy　ripe　and　franke　in　thy　venerable　hoare　head；　and　hear　the　sum　of　my　calamity。

There　was　a　comely　young　man；　who　for　his　bounty　and　grace　was　beloved　entirely　of　all　the　towne；　my　cousine　Germane；　and　but　three　years　older　than　I；　we　two　were　nourished　and　brought　up　in　one　house；　lay　under　one　roofe；　and　in　one　chamber；　and　at　length　by　promise　of　marriage；　and　by　consent　of　our　parents　we　were　contracted　together。　　The　marriage　day　was　come；　the　house　was　garnished　with　lawrel；　and　torches　were　set　in　every　place　in　the　honour　of　Hymeneus；　my　espouse　was　accompanied　by　his　parents；　kinsfolke；　and　friends；　and　made　sacrifices　in　the　temples　and　publique　places。　　And　when　my　unhappy　mother　pampered　me　in　her　lap；　and　decked　me　like　a　bride；　kissing　me　sweetly；　and　making　me　a　parent　for　Children；　behold　there　came　in　a　great　multitude　of　theeves　armed　like　men　of　warre；　with　naked　swords　in　their　hands；　who　went　not　about　to　doe　any　harme；　neither　to　take　any　thing　away；　but　brake　into　the　chamber　where　I　was；　and　violently　tooke　me　out　of　my　mothers　armes；　when　none　of　our　family　would　resist　for　feare。

In　this　sort　was　our　marriage　disturbed；　like　the　marriage　of　Hyppodame　and　Perithous。　　But　behold　my　good　mother；　now　my　unhappy　fortune　is　renewed　and　encreased　：　For　I　dreamed　in　my　sleepe；　that　I　was　pulled　out　of　our　house；　out　of　our　chamber；　and　out　of　my　bed；　and　that　I　removed　about　in　solitary　and　unknowne　places；　calling　upon　the　name　of　my　unfortunate　husband；　and　how　that　he；　as　soone　as　he　perceived　that　he　was　taken　away；　even　smelling　with　perfumes　and　crowned　with　garlands；　did　trace　me　by　the　steppes；　desiring　the　aid　of　the　people　to　assist　him；　in　that　his　wife　was　violently　stollen　away。　　and　as　he　went　crying　up　and　down；　one　of　the　theeves　mooved　with　indignation；　by　reason　of　his　pursuit；　took　up　a　stone　that　lay　at　his　feet；　and　threw　it　at　my　husband　and　killed　him。　　By　the　terror　of　which　sight；　and　the　feare　of　so　dreadfull　a　dreame；　I　awaked。

Then　the　old　woman　rendring　out　like　sighes；　began　to　speake　in　this　sort　：　My　daughter　take　a　good　heart　unto　you；　and　bee　not　afeared　at　feigned　and　strange　visions　and　dreams；　for　as　the　visions　of　the　day　are　accounted　false　and　untrue；　so　the　visions　of　the　night　doe　often　change　contrary。　　And　to　dream　of　weeping；　beating；　and　killing；　is　a　token　of　good　luck　and　prosperous　change。　Whereas　contrary　to　dreame　of　laughing；　carnal　dalliance；　and　good　cheere；　is　a　signe　of　sadnesse；　sicknesse；　loss　of　substance；　and　displeasure。　　But　I　will　tell　thee　a　pleasant　tale；　to　put　away　all　thy　sorrow；　and　to　revive　thy　spirits。　　And　so　shee　began　in　this　manner。




THE　MARRIAGE　OF　CUPID　AND　PSYCHES



THE　TWENTY…SECOND　CHAPTER


The　most　pleasant　and　delectable　tale　of　the　marriage　of　Cupid　and　Psyches。

There　was　sometimes　a　certaine　King；　inhabiting　in　the　West　parts；　who　had　to　wife　a　noble　Dame；　by　whom　he　had　three　daughters　exceeding　fair；　：　of　whom　the　two　elder　were　of　such　comly　shape　and　beauty；　as　they　did　excell　and　pass　all　other　women　living；　whereby　they　were　thought　worthily　to　deserve　the　praise　and　commendation　of　every　person；　and　deservedly　to　be　preferred　above　the　residue　of　the　common　sort。　　Yet　the　singular　passing　beauty　and　maidenly　majesty　of　the　youngest　daughter　did　so　farre　surmount　and　excell　then　two；　as　no　earthly　creature　could　by　any　meanes　sufficiently　expresse　or　set　out　the　same。

By　reason　wherof；　after　the　fame　of　this　excellent　maiden　was　spread　about　in　every　part　of　the　City；　the　Citisens　and　strangers　there　beeing　inwardly　pricked　by　the　zealous　affection　to　behold　her　famous　person；　came　daily　by　thousands；　hundreths；　and　scores；　to　her　fathers　palace；　who　was　astonied　with　admiration　of　her　incomparable　beauty；　did　no　less　worship　and　reverence　her　with　crosses；　signes；　and　tokens；　and　other　divine　adorations；　according　to　the　custome　of　the　old　used　rites　and　ceremonies；　than　if　she　were　the　Lady　Venus　indeed；　and　shortly　after　the　fame　was　spread　into　the　next　cities　and　bordering　regions；　that　the　goddess　whom　the　deep　seas　had　born　and　brought　forth；　and　the　froth　of　the　waves　had　nourished；　to　the　intent　to　show　her　high　magnificencie　and　divine　power　on　earth；　to　such　as　erst　did　honour　and　worship　her；　was　now　conversant　among　mortall　men；　or　else　that　the　earth　and　not　the　sea；　by　a　new　concourse　and　influence　of　the　celestiall　planets；　had　budded　and　yeelded　forth　a　new　Venus；　endued　with　the　floure　of　virginity。

So　daily　more　and　more　encreased　this　opinion；　and　now　is　her　flying　fame　dispersed　into　the　next　Island；　and　well　nigh　unto　every　part　and　province　of　the　whole　world。　　Wherupon　innumerable　strangers　resorted　from　farre　Countries；　adventuring　themselves　by　long　journies　on　land　and　by　great　perils　on　water；　to　behold　this　glorious　virgin。　　By　occasion　wherof　　such　a　contempt　grew　towards　the　goddesse　Venus；　that　no　person　travelled　unto　the　Towne　Paphos；　nor　to　the　Isle　Gyndos；　nor　to　Cythera　to　worship　her。　　Her　ornaments　were　throwne　out；　her　temples　defaced；　her　pillowes　and　cushions　torne；　her　ceremonies　neglected；　her　images　and　Statues　uncrowned；　and　her　bare　altars　unswept；　and　fowl　with　the　ashes　of　old　burnt　sacrifice。　　For　why；　every　person　honoured　and　worshipped　this　maiden　in　stead　of　Venus；　and　in　the　morning　at　her　first　comming　abroad　offered　unto　her　oblations；　provided　banquets；　called　her　by　the　name　of　Venus；　which　was　not　Venus　indeed；　and　in　her　honour　presented　floures　and　garlands　in　most　reverend　fashion。

This　sudden　change　and　alteration　of　celestiall　honour；　did　greatly　inflame　and　kindle　the　love　of　very　Venus；　who　unable　to　temper　her　selfe　from　indignation；　shaking　her　head　in　raging　sort；　reasoned　with　her　selfe　in　this　manner；　Behold　the　originall　parent　of　all　these　elements；　behold　the　Lady　Venus　renowned　throughout　all　the　world；　with　whome　a　mortall　maiden　is　joyned　now　partaker　of　honour　：　my　name　registred　in　the　city　of　heaven　is　prophaned　and　made　vile　by　terrene　absurdities。　　If　I　shall　suffer　any　mortall　creature　to　present　my　Majesty　on　earth；　or　that　any　shall　beare　about　a　false　surmised　shape　of　her　person；　then　in　vaine　did　Paris　the　sheepheard　（in　whose　judgement　and　competence　the　great　Jupiter　had　affiance）　preferre　me　above　the　residue　of　the　goddesses；　for　the　excellency　of　my　beauty　：　but　she；　whatever　she　be　that　hath　usurped　myne　honour；　shal　shortly　repent　her　of　her　unlawful　estate。　　And　by　and　by　she　called　her　winged　sonne　Cupid；　rash　enough　and　hardy；　who　by　his　evill　manners　contemning　all　publique　justice　and　law；　armed　with　fire　and　arrowes；　running　up　and　down　in　the　nights　from　house　to　house；　and　corrupting　the　lawfull　marriages　of　every　person；　doth　nothing　but　that　which　is　evill；　who　althou