more saleable, we were brought out at length to the
market, and by and by a crier sounded with his horne
to notifie that we were to be sold: all my companion
horses were bought up by Gentlemen, but as for me
I stood still forsaken of all men. And when many
buiers came by and looked in my mouth to know mine
age, I was so weary with opening my jawes that at
length (unable to endure any longer) when one came
with a stinking paire of hands and grated my gummes
with his filthy fingers, I bit them cleane off, which
thing caused the standers by to forsake me as being
a fierce and cruell beast: the crier when he had
gotten a hoarse voice with crying, and saw that no
man would buy me, began to mocke me saying, To what
end stand we here with this wilde Asse, this feeble
beast, this slow jade with worne hooves, good for nothing
but to make sives of his skin? Why do we not
give him to some body for he earneth not his hay?
In this manner he made all the standers by to laugh
exceedingly, but my evill fortune which was ever so
cruell against me, whom I by travell of so many countreys
could in no wise escape, did more and more envie me,
with invention of new meanes to afflict my poore body
in giving me a new Master as spitefull as the rest.
There was an old man somewhat bald, with long and
gray haire, one of the number of those that go from
door to door, throughout all the villages, bearing
the Image of the goddesse Syria, and playing with
Cimbals to get the almes of good and charitable folks,
this old man came hastely towards the cryer, and demanded
where I was bred: Marry (quoth he) in Cappadocia:
Then he enquired what age I was of, the cryer answered
as a Mathematician, which disposed to me my Planets,
that I was five yeares old, and willed the old man
to looke in my mouth: For I would not willingly
(quoth he) incur the penalty of the law Cornelia,
in selling a free Citizen for a servile slave, buy
a Gods name this faire beast to ride home on, and about
in the countrey: But this curious buier did never
stint to question of my qualities, and at length he
demanded whether I were gentle or no: Gentle
(quoth the crier) as gentle as a Lambe, tractable to
all use, he will never bite, he will never kicke,
but you would rather thinke that under the shape of
an Asse there were some well advised man, which verely
you may easily conject, for if you would thrust your
nose in his taile you shall perceive how patient he
is: Thus the cryer mocked the old man, but he
perceiving his taunts and jests, waxed very angry saying,
Away doting cryer, I pray the omnipotent and omniparent
goddesse Syria, Saint Sabod, Bellona, with her mother
Idea, and Venus, with Adonis, to strike out both thine
eies, that with taunting mocks hast scoffed me in this
sort: Dost thou thinke that I will put a goddesse
upon the backe of any fierce beast, whereby her divine
Image should be throwne downe on the ground, and so
I poore miser should be compelled (tearing my haire)
to looke for some Physition to helpe her? When