me to the
City Larissa, where while I went up and down to view the streets to
seeke some reliefe for my poore estate (for I had spent all my money)
I espied an old man standing on a stone in the middest of the market
place, crying with a loud voice and saying, that if any man would watch
a dead corps that night hee should be reasonably rewarded for this
paines. Which when I heard, I sayd to one who passed by, What is here
to doe? Do dead men use to run away in this Countrey? Then answered he,
Hold your peace, for you are but a Babe and a stranger here, and not
without cause you are ignorant how you are in Thessaly, where the women
Witches bite off by morsels the flesh and faces of dead men, and thereby
work their sorceries and inchantments. Then quoth I, In good fellowship
tell me the order of this custody and how it is. Marry (quoth he) first
you must watch all the night, with your eyes bent continually upon the
Corps, never looking off, nor moving aside. For these Witches do turn
themselves into sundry kindes of beasts, whereby they deceive the eyes
of all men, sometimes they are transformed into birds, sometimes into
Dogs and Mice, and sometimes into flies. Moreover they will charme the
keepers of the corps asleepe, neither can it be declared what meanes and
shifts these wicked women do use, to bring their purpose to passe: and
the reward for such dangerous watching is no more than foure or sixe
shillings. But hearken further (for I had well nigh forgotten) if the
keeper of the dead body doe not render on the morning following, the
corps whole and sound as he received the same, he shall be punished in
this sort: That is, if the corps be diminished or spoyled in any part of
his face, hands or toes, the same shall be diminished and spoyled in the
keeper. Which when I heard him I tooke a good heart, and went unto the
Crier and bid him cease, for I would take the matter in hand, and so
I demanded what I should have. Marry (quoth he) a thousand pence, but
beware I say you young man, that you do wel defend the dead corps from
the wicked witches, for hee was the son of one of the chiefest of the
city. Tush (sayd I) you speak you cannot tell what, behold I am a man
made all of iron, and have never desire to sleepe, and am more quicke of
sight than Lynx or Argus. I had scarse spoken these words, when he tooke
me by the hand and brought mee to a certaine house, the gate whereof was
closed fast, so that I went through the wicket,