The Golden Asse eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 277 pages of information about The Golden Asse.

The Golden Asse eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 277 pages of information about The Golden Asse.
the whole matter (to please and gratify his mother) went immediately to the young maiden, keeping the matter secret in his heart, for feare of inconvenience, and (lamenting to see his sister forsaken both of mother and father) incontinently after endowed her with part of his owne goods, and would have married her to one of his especial and trusty friends:  But although hee brought this to passe very secretly and sagely, yet in the end cruell 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 queane, insomuch that shee invented all manner of meanes to dispatch her out of the way.  And in the end shee invented this kind of mischiefe:  She privily stale away her husbands ring, and went into the country, whereas she commanded one of her trusty servants to take the ring and carry it to the mayden.  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 shee should not delay but come with all speed he should deliver her the ring, which should be a sufficient testimony of the message.  This mayden as soone as she had received the ring of her brother, being very willing and desirous to obey his commandement:  (For she knew no otherwise but that he had sent for her) went in all hast as the messenger willed her to doe.  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 poore maiden called for helpe with a loud voyce to her brother, the wicked harlot (weening that she had invented and feined the matter) tooke 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 honourably.  This yong 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 strucken 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 traiterous Physician, who had killed a great many persons in his dayes and promised him fifty peeces of Gold, if he would give her a present poyson to kill her husband out of hand, but in presence of her Husband, she feined that it was necessary for him to receive a certaine kind of drink, which the Maisters and Doctours of Physicke doe call a sacred Potion, to the intent he might purge Choller and scoure the interiour parts of his body.  But the Physitian in stead of that drinke prepared a mortall and deadly poyson, and when
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The Golden Asse from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.