which thing caused me greatly to feare, to see such
wounds and effusion of bloud, least the same goddesse
desiring so much the bloud of men, should likewise
desire the bloud of an Asse. After they were
wearie with hurling and beating themselves, they sate
downe, and behold, the inhabitants came in, and offered
gold, silver, vessels of wine, milke, cheese, flower,
wheate and other things: amongst whom there was
one, that brought barly to the Asse that carried the
goddesse, but the greedie whoresons thrust all into
their sacke, which they brought for the purpose and
put it upon my backe, to the end I might serve for
two purposes, that is to say, for the barne by reason
of my corne, and for the Temple by reason of the goddesse.
In this sort, they went from place to place, robbing
all the Countrey over. At length they came to
a certaine Castle where under colour of divination,
they brought to passe that they obtained a fat sheepe
of a poore husbandman for the goddesse supper and
to make sacrifice withall. After that the banket
was prepared, they washed their bodies, and brought
in a tall young man of the village, to sup with them,
who had scarce tasted a few pottage, when hee began
to discover their beastly customes and inordinate desire
of luxury. For they compassed him round about,
sitting at the table, and abused the young man, contrary
to all nature and reason. When I beheld this
horrible fact, I could not but attempt to utter my
mind and say, O masters, but I could pronounce no
more but the first letter O, which I roared out so
valiantly, that the young men of the towne seeking
for a straie Asse, that they had lost the same night,
and hearing my voice, whereby they judged that I had
beene theirs, entred into the house unwares, and found
these persons committing their vile abhomination,
which when they saw, they declared to all the inhabitants
by, their unnatural villany, mocking and laughing
at this the pure and cleane chastity of their religion.
In the meane season, Phelibus and his company, (by
reason of the bruit which was dispersed throughout
all the region there of their beastly wickednesse)
put all their trumpery upon my backe, and departed
away about midnight. When we had passed a great
part of our journey, before the rising of the Sun,
we came into a wild desart, where they conspired together
to slay me. For after they had taken the goddesse
from my backe and set her gingerly upon the ground,
they likewise tooke off my harnesse, and bound me surely
to an Oake, beating me with their whip, in such sort
that all my body was mortified. Amongst whom
there was one that threatened to cut off my legs with
his hatchet, because by my noyse I diffamed his chastity,
but the other regarding more their owne profit than
my utility, thought best to spare my life, because
I might carry home the goddesse. So they laded
me againe, driving me before them with their naked
swords, till they came to a noble City: where
the principall Patrone bearing high reverence unto