ed very
often, and no person gave answer, they began to mistrust, insomuch that
they brake open the doore: when they were come in, they could not find
the woman, but onely their master hanging dead upon a rafter of the
chamber, whereupon they cryed and lamented greatly, and according to the
custome, when they had washed themselves, they tooke the body and buried
it. The next day morrow, the daughter of the Baker, which was married
but a little before to one of the next Village, came crying and beating
her breast, not because she heard of the death of her father by any
man, but because his lamentable spirit, with a halter about his necke
appeared to her in the night, declaring the whole circumstance of his
death, and how by inchantment he was descended into hell, which caused
her to thinke that her father was dead. After that she had lamented a
good space, and was somewhat comforted by the servants of the house, and
when nine dayes were expired, as inheretrix to her father, she sold away
all the substance of the house, whereby the goods chanced into divers
mens hands.

THE FORTY-SECOND CHAPTER

How Apuleius after the Baker was hanged, was sold to a Gardener, and
what dreadfull things happened.

There was a poore Gardener amongst the rest, which bought me for the
summe of fifty pence, which seemed to him a great price, but he thought
to gayne it againe by the continuall travell of my body. The matter
requireth to tell likewise, how I was handled in his service. This
Gardener accustomed to drive me, every morning laded with hearbes to the
next Village, and when he had sold his hearbes, hee would mount upon
my backe and returne to the Garden, and while he digged the ground and
watered the hearbes, and went about other businesse, I did nothing but
repose my selfe with great ease, but when Winter approached with sharpe
haile, raine and frosts, and I standing under a hedge side, was welnigh
killed up with cold, and my master was so poore that he had no lodging
for himselfe, much lesse had he any littor or place to cover me withall,
for he himselfe alwayes lay under a little roofe shadowed with boughes.
In the morning when I arose, I found my hoofes shriveled together with
cold, and unable to passe upon the sharpe ice, and frosty mire, neither
could I fill my belly with meate, as I accustomed to doe, for my master
and I supped together, and had both one fare: howbeit it was very
slender since as wee had nothing else