habitants 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