the night, by the building of Swallows nigh unto the towne Copton, by
the increase of the floud Nilus, by the secret mysteries of Memphis,
and by the instruments and trumpets of the Isle Pharos, have mercy I
say, and call to life this dead body, and make that his eyes which he
closed and shut, may be open and see. Howbeit we meane not to strive
against the law of death, neither intend we to deprive the earth of his
right, but to the end this fact may be knowne, we crave but a small
time and space of life. Whereat this Prophet was mooved, and took a
certaine herb and layd it three times against the mouth of the dead,
and he took another and laid upon his breast in like sort. Thus when
hee had done hee turned himself into the East, and made certaine
orisons unto the Sunne, which caused all the people to marvell greatly,
and to looke for this strange miracle that should happen. Then I
pressed in amongst them nigh unto the biere, and got upon a stone to
see this mysterie, and behold incontinently the dead body began to
receive spirit, his principall veines did moove, his life came again
and he held up his head and spake in this sort: Why doe you call mee
backe againe to this transitorie life, that have already tasted of the
water of Lethe, and likewise been in the deadly den of Styx? Leave off,
I pray, leave off, and let me lie in quiet rest. When these words were
uttered by the dead corps, the Prophet drew nigh unto the Biere and
sayd, I charge thee to tell before the face of all the people here the
occasion of thy death: What, dost thou thinke that I cannot by my
conjurations call up the dead, and by my puissance torment thy body?
Then the corps moved his head again, and made reverence to the people
and sayd, Verily I was poisoned by the meanes of my wicked wife, and so
thereby yeelded my bed unto an adulterer. Whereat his wife taking
present audacity, and reproving his sayings, with a cursed minde did
deny it. The people were bent against her sundry wayes, some thought
best that shee should be buried alive with her husband: but some said
that there ought no credit to be given to the dead body. Which opinion
was cleane taken away, by the words which the corps spoke againe and
sayd, Behold I will give you some evident token, which never yet any
other man knew, whereby you shall perceive that I declare the truth:
and by and by he pointed towards me that stood on the stone, and sayd,
When this the good Gard of my body watched me diligently in the night,
and that the wicked Witches and enchantresses came into the chamber to
spoyle mee of my limbes, and to bring such their purpose did transforme
themselves into the shape of beasts: and when as they could in no wise
deceive or beguile his vigilant eyes, they cast him into so dead and
sound a sleepe, that by their witchcraft he seemed without spirit or
life. After this they did call me by my name, and never did cease til
as the cold members of my body began by little and little and little to
revive.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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