ass, and returned to the witch's house; in whose
service he remained by the space of three years, doing nothing with his
hands all that while, but carried such burthens as she laid on his back;
having only this comfort, that, although he were reputed an ass among
strangers and beasts, yet that both this witch and all other witches knew
him to be a man.

After three years were passed over, in a morning betimes he went to town
before his dame, who upon some occasion ... stayed a little behind. In the
meantime being near to a church, he heard a little sacring-bell ring to the
elevation of a morrow mass; and not daring to go into the church, lest he
should have been beaten and driven out with cudgels, in great devotion he
fell down in the churchyard upon the knees of his hinder legs, and did lift
his forefeet over his head, as the priest doth hold the sacrament at the
elevation. Which prodigious sight when certain merchants of Genoa espied,
and with wonder beheld, anon cometh the witch with a cudgel in her hand,
beating forth the ass. And because, as it hath been said, such kinds of
witchcrafts are very usual in those parts, the merchants aforesaid made
such means as both the ass and the witch were attached by the judge. And
she, being examined and set upon the rack, confessed the whole matter, and
promised that if she might have liberty to go home, she would restore him
to his old shape; and being dismissed she did accordingly. So as
notwithstanding they apprehended her again, and burned her; and the young
man returned into his country with a joyful and merry heart.

Book VII, chap. ii.

"Know you this by the way, that heretofore Robin Goodfellow and Hobgoblin
were as terrible, and also as credible to the people, as hags and witches
be now: and in time to come a witch will be as much derided and contemned,
and as plainly perceived, as the illusion and knavery of Robin Goodfellow.
And in truth, they that maintain walking spirits with their transformation,
&c, have no reason to deny Robin Goodfellow, upon whom there hath gone as
many and as credible tales as upon witches; saving that it hath not pleased
the translators of the Bible to call spirits by the name of Robin
Goodfellow, as they have termed diviners, soothsayers, poisoners, and
cozeners by the name of witches."

Book VII, chap. xv.

"But certainly some one knave in a white sheet hath cozened and abused many
thousands that way; specially when Robin Goodfellow ke