to shew her selfe a like parent to her child, as she
was a wife to her husband, whereupon she prepared
a dinner with her owne hands, and empoysoned both
the wife of the Physitian and her owne daughter:
The child being young and tender dyed incontinently
by force of the drinke, but the Physitians wife being
stout and strong of complexion, feeling the poison
to trill down into her body, doubted the matter, and
thereupon knowing of certainty that she had received
her bane, ran forthwith to the judges house, that
what with her cryes, and exclamations, she raised
up the people of the towne, and promising them to
shew divers wicked and mischievous acts, caused that
the doores and gates were opened. When she came
in she declared from the beginning to the end the
abhomination of this woman: but shee had scarce
ended her tale, when opening her falling lips, and
grinding her teeth together, she fell downe dead before
the face of the Judge, who incontinently to try the
truth of the matter, caused the cursed woman, and her
servants to be pulled out of the house, and enforced
by paine of torment to confesse the verity, which
being knowne, this mischievous woman farre lesse then
she deserved, but because there could be no more cruell
a death invented for the quality of her offence, was
condemned to be eaten with wild beasts. Behold
with this woman was I appointed to have to doe before
the face of the people, but I being wrapped in great
anguish, and envying the day of the triumph, when
we two should so abandon our selves together, devised
rather to sley my selfe, then to pollute my body with
this mischievous harlot, and so for ever to remaine
defamed: but it was impossible for me so to doe,
considering that I lacked hands, and was not able
to hold a knife in my hoofes: howbeit standing
in a pretty cabin, I rejoyced in my selfe to see that
spring time was come, and that all things flourished,
and that I was in good hope to find some Roses, to
render me my humane shape. When the day of triumph
came, I was led with great pompe and benevolence to
the appointed place, where when I was brought, I first
saw the preamble of that triumph, dedicated with dancers
and merry taunting jests, and in the meane season was
placed before the gate of the Theater, whereas on
the one side I saw the greene and fresh grasse growing
before the entry thereof, whereon I greatly desired
to feed: on the other side I conceived a great
delectation to see when the Theater gates were opened,
how all things was finely prepared and set forth:
For there I might see young children and maidens in
the flowre of their youth of excellent beauty, and
attired gorgiously, dancing and mooved in comely order,
according to the order of Grecia, for sometime they
would dance in length, sometime round together, sometime
divide themselves into foure parts, and sometime loose
hands on every side: but when the trumpet gave
warning that every man should retire to his place,
then began the triumph to appeare. First there