Amongst whom there was one more mad then the rest, that let many deepe
sighes from the bottome of his heart, as though he had beene ravished
in spirite, or replenished with divine power. And after that, he
somewhat returning to himselfe, invented and forged a great lye,
saying, that he had displeased the divine majesty of the goddesse, by
doing of some thing which was not convenable to the order of their holy
religion, wherefore he would doe vengeance of himselfe: and
therewithall he tooke a whip, and scourged his owne body, that the
bloud issued out aboundantly, which thing caused me greatly to feare,
to see such wounds and effusion of bloud, least the same goddesse
desiring so much the bloud of men, should likewise desire the bloud of
an Asse. After they were wearie with hurling and beating themselves,
they sate downe, and behold, the inhabitants 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
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