and sayd, I pray you Cousine how like you our countrey? Verily I
think there is no other City which hath the like Temples, Baynes, and
other commodities which we have here. Further we have abundance of
household stuffe, we have pleasure, we have ease, and when the Roman
merchants arrive in this City they are gently and quietly entertained,
and all that dwell within this province (when they purpose to solace and
repose themselves) do come to this city. Whereunto I answered, Verily
(quoth I) you tell truth, for I can finde no place in all the world
which I like better than this, but I greatly feare the blind inevitable
trenches of witches, for they say that the dead bodies are digged out of
their graves, and the bones of them that are burnt be stollen away, and
the toes and fingers of such as are slaine are cut off, and afflict and
torment such as live. And the old Witches as soone as they heare of the
death of any person, do forthwith goe and uncover the hearse and spoyle
the corpse, to work their inchantments. Then another sitting at the
table spake and sayd, In faith you say true, neither yet do they spare
or favor the living. For I know one not farre hence that was cruelly
handled by them, who being not contented with cutting off his nose, did
likewise cut off his eares, whereat all the people laughed heartily,
and looked at one that sate at the boords end, who being amased at their
gazing, and somewhat angry withall, would have risen from the table, had
not Byrrhena spake unto him and sayd, I pray thee friend Bellerophon sit
still and according to thy accustomed curtesie declare unto us the losse
of thy nose and eares, to the end that my cousin Lucius may be delighted
with the pleasantnes of the tale. To whom he answered, Madam in the
office of your bounty shall prevaile herein, but the insolencie of some
is not to be supported. This hee spake very angerly: But Byrrhena was
earnest upon him, and assured him hee should have no wrong at any mans
hand. Whereby he was inforced to declare the same, and so lapping up the
end of the Table cloath and carpet together, hee leaned with his elbow
thereon, and held out three forefingers of his right hand in manner of
an orator, and sayd, When I was a young man I went unto a certaine city
called Milet, to see the games and triumphs there named Olympia, and
being desirous to come into this famous province, after that I had
travelled over all Thessaly, I fortuned in an evil hour to co