The Golden Ass

of this woman, condemned to be eaten of wild beasts: for she greatly feared least he should unawares fancy or fall in love with his own sister. The young man understanding the whole matter (to please and gratify his mother) went immediately to the young maiden, keeping the matter secret in his heart, for fear of inconvenience, and (lamenting to see his sister forsaken both of mother and father) incontinently after endowed her with part of his own goods, and would have married her to one of his especial and trusty friends: but although he brought this to pass very secretly and sagely, yet in the end cruel fortune sowed great sedition in his house. For his wife who was now condemned to beasts, waxed jealous of her husband and began to suspect the young woman as a harlot and common quean, insomuch that she invented all manner of means to dispatch her out of the way. And in the end she invented this kind of mischief: she privily stole away her husband’s ring, and went into the country, whereas she commanded one of her trusty servants to take the ring and carry it to the maiden. To whom he should declare that her brother did pray her to come into the country to him, and that she should come alone without any person. And to the end she should not delay but come with all speed he should deliver her the ring, which should be a sufficient testimony of the message. This maiden as soon as she had received the ring of her brother, being very willing and desirous to obey his commandment: (For she knew no otherwise but that he had sent for her) went in all haste as the messenger willed her to do. But when she was come to the snare and engine which was prepared for her, the mischievous woman, like one that were mad, and possessed with some ill spirit, when the poor maiden called for help with a loud voice to her brother, the wicked harlot (weening that she had invented and feigned the matter) took a burning firebrand and thrust it into her secret place, whereby she died miserably. The husband of this maiden but especially her brother, advertised of her death, came to the place where she was slain, and after great lamentation and weeping, they caused her to be buried honorably. This young man her brother taking in ill part the miserable death of his sister, as it was convenient he should, conceived so great dolour within his mind and was stricken with so pestilent fury of bitter anguish, that he fell into the burning passions of a dangerous ague, whereby he seemed in such necessity, that he needed to have some speedy remedy to save his life. The woman that slew the maiden having lost the name of wife together with her faith, went to a traitorous physician, who had killed a great many persons in his days and promised him fifty pieces of Gold, if he would give her a present poison to kill her husband out of hand, but in presence of her husband, she feigned that it was necessary for him to receive a certain kind of drink, which the masters and doctors of physic do call a sacred potion, to the intent he might purge choler and scour the interior parts of his body. But the physician instead of that drink prepared a mortal and deadly poison, and when he had tempered it accordingly, he took the pot in the presence of the family, and other neighbours and friends of the sick young man, and offered it to his patient. But the bold and hardy woman, to the end she might accomplish her wicked intent, and also gain the money which she had promised the physician, stayed the pot with her hand, saying: I pray you master physician, minister not this drink unto my dear husband, until such time as you have drunk some part thereof yourself: for what know I, whether you have mingled any poison in the drink or no, wherein I would have you not to be offended: for I know that you are a man of wisdom and learning, but this I do to the intent the conscience and love that I bear to the health and safeguard of my husband, may be apparent. The physician being greatly troubled at the wickedness of this mischievous woman, as void of all counsel and leisure to consider of the matter, and least he might give any cause of suspicion to the standers-by, or show any scruple of his guilty conscience, by reason of long delay, took the pot in his hand, and presently drunk a good draught thereof, which done, the young man having no mistrust, drunk up the residue. The physician would have gone immediately home to receive a counterpoison, to expel and drive out the first poison: but the wicked woman persevering in her mischief, would not suffer him to depart afoot, until such time as the poison began to work in him, and then by much prayer and intercession she licensed him to go home: by the way the poison invaded the entrails and bowels of the whole body of the physician, in such sort that with great pain he came to his own house, where he had scarce time to speak to his wife, and to will her to receive the promised salutary of the death of two persons, but he yielded up the ghost: and the other young man lived not long after, but likewise died, amongst the feigned and deceitful tears of his cursed wife. A few days after, when the young man was buried and the funeral ended, the physician’s wife demanded of her the fifty pieces of gold which she promised her husband for the drink, whereat the ill-disposed woman, with resemblance of honesty, answered her with gentle words, and promised to give her the