neither could they thinke that Mice or Flyes, were so ravenous, as to
devouer whole dishes of meat, like the Birds Harpies which carried away
the meates of Phineus the King of Archadia. In the Meane season while I
was fed with dainty morsels, I gathered together my flesh, my skin
waxed soft, my haire began to shine, and was gallant on every part, but
such faire and comely shape of my body, was cause of my dishonour, for
the Baker and Cooke marvelled to see me so slick and fine, considering
I did eate no hay at all. Wherefore on a time at their accustomed
houre, they went to the baines, and locked their chamber doore. It
fortuned that ere they departed away, they espyed me through a hole,
how I fell roundly to my victuals: then they marvelled greatly, and
little esteemed the losse of their meate, laughed exceedingly, calling
the servants of the house, to shew them the greedy gorge and appetite
of the Asse. Their laughing was so immoderate that the master of the
house heard them, and demanded the cause of their laughter, and when
hee understood all the matter, hee looked through the hole likewise,
wherewith he took such a delectation that hee commanded the doore to be
opened, that hee might see mee at his pleasure. Then I perceiving every
man laugh, was nothing abashed, but rather more bold, whereby I never
rested eating, till such time as the master of the house commanded me
to be brought into his parler as a novelty, and there caused all kinds
of meates which were never touched to be set on the table, which
(although I had eaten sufficiently before, yet to win the further
favour of the master of the house) I did greedily devoure and made a
cleane riddance of all the delicate meates. And to prove my nature
wholly, they gave mee such meates as every Asse doth abhorre: for they
put before mee beefe and vinegar, birds and pepper, fish and verjuice:
in the meane season they that beheld mee at the table did nothing but
laugh. Then one of the servants of the house sayd to his master, I pray
you sir give him some drinke to his supper: Marry (quoth hee) I thinke
thou saist true, for it may be, that to his meate hee would drinke
likewise a cup of wine. Hoe boy, wash yonder pot, and fill it with
wine, which done, carry it to the Asse, and say that I have drunke to
him. Then all the standers by looked on, to see what would come to
passe: but I (as soone as I beheld the cup) staied not long, but
gathering my lips together, supped up all the wine at one draught. The
master being right joyfull hereat caused the Baker and Cooke which had
bought me, to come before him, to whom he delivered foure times as much
for me, as they paid, which done he committed me to one of his rich
Libertines, and charged him to looke well to me, and that I should
lacke nothing, who obeied his masters commandement in every point: and
to the end he would creepe further into his favour, he taught me a
thousand qualities. First he instructed me to sit at the table upon my
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